CONTINUOUS EXCESS RAINS FINAL NAIL ON APPLE COFFIN

It is raining every day in Himachal Pradesh but the showers are keeping apples away from the pink of health. The 6000 crore rupees apple economy in the hill state is going to be less than half this time since the rains have stopped the noble fruit from gaining its bigger size in the absence of sunshine.

Apple flowering was severely damaged due to rain, hail and lack of sunshine this season. During the flowering season, the average temperature must be around 15 degrees, however, it fell to 8 degrees. This affected the pollination and fruit set. But it rained during the blooming time disturbing the pollinating pattern depriving the apple the much-needed sunshine to gain size.

The state is likely to produce record lowest low of 1.25 crore boxes of apples, compared to over 3.36 crore boxes last year and a highest ever 5.11 crores in 2010. Before monsoon, apples need good sunlight to gain size. However, this year due to untimely rains and early pre-monsoon showers, this process has been affected.

Besides continuous rains, the weather as a whole has not been favourable for apples since the beginning of this year. Chilling hours were not completed due to the lack of snowfall in winter. Almost a drought-like condition prevailed in February, when the apple crop needed good snowfall. Following this in mid- March it started to rain and the state witnessed long wet spells through April and May as well, not good for the fruit cultivation.

The drastic fall in apple cultivation has also affected another big to last year, the price of apple cartons has also been reduced by ₹10 to ₹12 this time but still there are not many takers simply because there is no production.

There are 250 cardboard industries in the state, of which 40% manufacture apple cartons. It is said that the heart of Himachal Pradesh’s economy lies in apple production. Apple alone makes for ₹6,000-crore economy in Himachal Pradesh and sustains more than two lakh families. It covers nearly half of the state’s total area under fruit crops.