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Apples and mandarin oranges are the two leading fruit cash crops in Bhutan and together constitute a significant share of the country's agricultural exports. Apple cultivation is concentrated in the temperate highland districts of Paro, Thimphu, Haa, and Bumthang in western and central Bhutan, while mandarin oranges (Citrus reticulata) thrive in the warmer subtropical zones of the southern and eastern districts, including Tsirang, Dagana, Sarpang, Samtse, Pemagatshel, and Zhemgang. Both crops are important not only as sources of export revenue but as livelihood foundations for thousands of farming households.^[1]

Apple Cultivation

History and Development

Modern fruit cultivation in Bhutan began during the reign of the third king, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, in the 1960s. Apple varieties — predominantly Red Delicious, Royal Delicious, and Golden Delicious — were introduced from the northern Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. These three cultivars account for over 80 percent of Bhutan's apple-growing area. A horticulture research station established at Yusipang facilitated the development of orchards in Paro, Thimphu, Haa, and Bumthang, and apple farming became an important income source for highland farmers by the 1980s and 1990s.^[2]

Production and Geography

Apple trees in Bhutan grow at elevations between 2,000 and 2,600 metres above sea level. As of 2010, approximately 1,633 hectares were under apple cultivation, with Paro accounting for about 52 percent of trees and Thimphu about 34 percent. However, production has declined significantly in recent years. Total apple output fell from approximately 7,051 metric tonnes in 2014 to around 2,317 metric tonnes in 2023. The value of apple exports to India and other markets was approximately Nu 21.05 million in 2022.^[3]

The decline is attributed to several factors: ageing orchards planted in the 1960s and 1970s that have passed peak productivity, disease pressure (particularly apple scab, which devastated orchards in Bumthang in the mid-1980s), labour shortages as young people migrate to urban areas or abroad, and poor returns relative to the cost and effort of orchard management. Some farmers have converted apple orchards to other uses or simply abandoned them.^[4]

Export and Market

Bhutanese apples are primarily exported to India. Notably, Bhutan has been granted an exception to India's periodic bans on apple imports, reflecting the bilateral trade relationship between the two countries. However, competition from cheaper Chinese and Indian apples in the regional market, combined with inconsistent quality and limited cold storage infrastructure, has constrained the growth of Bhutan's apple export sector.^[5]

Mandarin Orange Cultivation

Geography and Production

Mandarin oranges are Bhutan's largest fresh fruit export and one of the country's most important agricultural products by value. The fruit is grown in the subtropical zones at elevations between 300 and 1,500 metres, with the principal producing districts being Tsirang, Dagana, Sarpang, Samtse, Pemagatshel, Chukha, and Zhemgang. Total mandarin production reached approximately 18,467 metric tonnes in 2022, an increase of 2,500 tonnes over the previous year. Mandarin exports were valued at approximately Nu 418.23 million in 2022, with nearly 90 percent of exports going to Bangladesh and the remainder to India.^[6]

The mandarin harvest season runs from approximately November through February, during which collection depots operate in key producing districts. Oranges from Tsirang, Dagana, Wangdue, Punakha, Zhemgang, and Sarpang are brought to auction yards, from which exporters arrange transport to Bangladeshi and Indian markets. The Gelephu depot has been particularly important for southern district producers.^[7]

Challenges

Mandarin orange cultivation in Bhutan faces serious threats from disease and climate change. Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) has been detected at alarming rates across producing districts, with incidence recorded as high as 83 percent in Zhemgang, 78 percent in Tsirang, 70 percent in Dagana, and 63 percent in Sarpang. The disease causes tree decline and reduced fruit quality, and no effective cure exists for infected trees. Citrus greening disease (Huanglongbing) is another concern.^[8]

Climate change is also reshaping citrus geography. Researchers and farmers have observed that orange trees are now growing at higher altitudes than previously possible, as warming temperatures extend the suitable cultivation zone upward. While this opens new areas for production, it also signals environmental changes that may bring new pest and disease pressures. Post-harvest losses due to inadequate packaging, transportation damage, and limited cold chain infrastructure remain significant barriers to maximising the value of the mandarin crop.^[9]

Economic Significance

Together, apples and mandarin oranges represent a substantial portion of Bhutan's non-hydropower agricultural export earnings. The government has identified both crops as priorities in its agricultural development plans, with interventions including improved nursery stock, disease management programmes, post-harvest infrastructure investment, and market access support. However, stagnant or declining production volumes in both crops have put export growth targets at risk, underscoring the need for more sustained investment in horticulture research and farmer support.^[10]

Apple and Orange Farming in Bhutan