Farmers in Benikot, Byas Municipality-13 of Tanahun, have earned more than Rs 20 million from orange sales this year after a season of strong yields and high demand. Traders purchasing directly from orchards have further boosted earnings. Farmer and schoolteacher Fal Bahadur Thapa alone sold oranges worth Rs 1.65 million, while many others earned between Rs 210,000 and Rs 400,000. More than 600 farmers now benefit from Tanahun’s expanding orange-growing initiative, supported by government funding for orchard care and new plantations. With improved disease management and better orchard practices, the district sold oranges worth Rs 425 million last year. Benikot’s produce is now widely popular across Nepal, strengthening Tanahun’s emergence as a regional orange hub.
