Kiran Sigdel1 and Nilkantha Pokhrel1
1 Gandaki Province, Agriculture Development Directorate, Malaepatan, Pokhara
Corresponding author e-mail : sigdel_kiran@yahoo.com
Abstract
Agriculture and forest is the 4th priority sector of the total provincial investment as set by province planning commission. Occupying the third largest area and sixth largest population of the country, Gandaki province provides a hope of prosperous agriculture and tourism. Horticulture has great scope while analyzing from the current production figures of the major commodities and the supporting ambitious programs launched from provincial government in spite of fewer technical manpower. As this province’s geography is mostly hilly and mountainous, the citrus production is ranked first (approx 23%) followed by winter fruit (15 %) and summer fruits (5%) in this state of Nepal. The major vegetable crops cultivated area is 47508 ha (rank 5th) produces around 558950 mt (8 %) annually. The ginger production rank 2nd with 44992 mt production. Gandaki province covers 34 percent (909 ha ) area with 31 percent (166 mt) green bean coffee production. Nationwide the Gandaki province is number one with 47,926 mt in mandarin fruit production. Tissue culture & processing centers, screen & store houses, apple saplings distribution and others are the major horticultural programs of the fiscal year 2019/20. PMAMP blocks and pockets cover much area in some major commodities like mandarin, vegetables, potato, large cardamom, etc. Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperative is the apex organization under which Agriculture Development Directorate (ADD) and offices under ADD implement agricultural programs.