After a one-year gap, the Rüsoma Orange Festival 2026 is scheduled to be held on January 30 and the 31st.
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KOHIMA — After a one-year gap, the Rüsoma Orange Festival 2026 is scheduled to be held on January 30 and the 31st on the theme ‘Abundance of orange’ at the village local ground.
Located 10 km away from the state capital Kohima, about 83% of Rüsoma households grow orange and celebrate the festival annually around this time of the year.
However, due to low harvest and quality compromised, the festival could not be conducted last year, it was informed.
The organisers of the festival on Thursday informed that the much- awaited festival is back this year to highlight the abundance of orange in the village.
The first orange tree was believed to have been planted in the village around 1941 and 1942. Decades after, Rüsoma was adopted and declared as the ‘Gardening village’ in 1986.
It was in 2020 that Rüsoma Orange Festival started and this year marks the 5th edition.
During the two-day festival, oranges will be sold alongside other agri products, handicrafts, local cuisines and more, the organisers said at a press conference in Kohima.
“The festival aims to promote the welfare of the village, encourage rural entrepreneurship, and to recognise the hard labour or orange growers and to bring the taste of Rüsoma oranges,” said Neisatuonuo Zhale, organising committee member.
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Advisor H Tovihoto Ayemi will attend the inaugural programme on January 30 as the special guest at 10 am.
The price of oranges has been fixed at an upper limit of INR 140 per kg and below.
Zhale claimed that the quality of orange from Rüsoma is far better than the ones available in the market, hence the fixed price.
However, she added the price will depend from seller to seller.
This year, the village is expecting income of around INR 25 lakh from orange sales, Neimezo Tachü, organising committee member, citing a good harvest.
He said in low harvest years, they generate around INR 20 lakh, but in good years, it goes up to INR 43 lakh.
Rüsoma has around 570 households and out of that, 470 (83%) grow oranges. The village also provides local guides for visitors who wish to visit orange orchards.