Heat hits Himachal apples,huge drop in production predicted

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.

Only those orchards located at a height above 7,000 feet have managed to weather the climate calamity to some extent.

The unusual high temperature in the apple growing areas has also triggered a new problem of pre-mature dropping of apples. Over the past fortnight,the fruit has witnessed a pre-mature dropping,worrying the orchardists whose crop is already down by 40 per cent,and in some pockets in lower hills,by even 60 per cent.

“We don’t want to frighten the growers but the apple is going to see a serious drop in production in the next 25 years in its traditional belt of Shimla,Kullu,Mandi and Sirmaur,” warned Dr Tej Pratap,Vice-Chancellor,Himachal Agriculture university Palampur.

Apple is grown in almost 86,000 hectares in the hill state. Shimla district alone accounts for 80 per cent of the state’s entire production.