The Himachal apples will not taste as they used to do in the best days of their harvests. And the fruit is also not expected to be available in abundance this time around.

This is perhaps the first visible adverse affect of the climate — a near-snowless winter and an unpredictable dry spell — this year.

The crop estimates, which the state’s horticulture department has compiled this month, show a loss of at least Rs 200 to Rs 250 crore. The production, which was more than two crore of apple boxes last year, is pegged not to go beyond 1.8 crore boxes this time.

Even the quality of the apple is expected to be inferior than the previous year, which means that the growers may not be able to get the best deals.

Admits Horticulture Secretary Ram Subhag Singh, “The government is keeping a very close watch on the crop in view of the reports of a predicted sharp decline in apple production. We will try out best to ensure that the growers don’t face any problem in the movement of the crop and also get the best market price.”

The apple economy remains the biggest contributor to the state’s horticulture economy of Rs 1,700 crore.

“This year has been particularly bad for the apples as the winter, which is very crucial for the crop, remained almost snowless depriving the plants of the requisite chilling hours. The dry spell has particularly hit the low and mid-hill areas,” says Prakash Tegta, a leading apple grower of Shimla.

... contd.