SNOWFALL BROUGHT CHEERS FOR APPLE GROWERS

While Shimla saw a light spell of snow, famous tourist places nearby like Kufri and Narkanda have been experiencing moderate snowfall.While Shimla received the season’s first snowfall on New Year’s eve. It was the first time after many years that the town saw snow on the last day of the year.The upper reaches of Shimla, Kullu, Mandi and Kinnaur experienced good snowfall recently.

Snowfall is most awaited by all the residents of Shimla and by the tourists too.All the roads, every rooftop, every small branch the pine trees, and even every single cable wire is covered with snow during winters in Shimla. All the plantation fields are lashed with snow the whole of Shimla is covered under a snowy blanket.

The widespread snowfall has increased hopes of good apple production in Himachal Pradesh this year also.Cold weather is conducive to apple cultivation activities and the good snowfall and rains in the state have increased the prospects of good output in Himachal Pradesh, which is known as the “apple bowl” of the country.

The second spell of snow has brought cheer for apple growers.Upper areas of Shimla district including Kotgarh, kotkhai, Jubbal and Rohru received moderate to heavy snowfall which has come as blessing for apple growers.

The apple-growing areas of the hill state have received around 3-4 feet of snowfall so far and has enlightened up the hope that the Himachal might surpass the last year”s record production of the apple.Shimla district accounts for approx. 65-70% total apple produced in this hill state.

 

Impact of Global warming on apple production in HP

Warmer temperatures and a decrease in winter snowfall due to global warming are being blamed by horticulture and environmental experts for decrease in apple production in Himachal Pradesh, as harvests have fallen in recent years.

According to state Horticulture department officials, while annual production of apple was 2.96 crore boxes (one box contains about 20-22 kgs of apple) in 2007-2008, it came down to 2.55 crore boxes in 2008-2009. The estimated production in the current year 2009-10 is around 1.40 crore boxes.

Himachal Pradesh produces more than one-third of total apple production in the country.

Environmental experts say the climatic changes due to global warming has affected apple production in the state, making apple cultivation unsustainable at a height lower than 5,750 feet. Environmentalist emphasised on the adverse impact of climatic change on apple production.

According to horticulture experts of the state, due to fall in apple production in its traditional belt in upper Shimla district and Kullu valley, experiments are being done to grow it in newer areas at higher altitudes.

 

Upper Shimla Area

Himachal Pradesh is called the Apple state of the country and is also known as the fruit bowl of the nation.Apple is the main fruit crop of Himachal Pradesh and is grown in nine out of the twelve districts.It
contributes to 40 percent of the fruit growing areas in H.P. Kinnaur and Shimla are the main apple producing districts of H.P.The normal production of apples ranges from 17 million to 20 million boxes in the state.Though the apple season proper is yet to begin,but some of the early varieties such as ‘Red Gold’, ‘Summer Green’ and ‘Red June’ from Jubbal,Rohru,Kotkhai and Chopal areas in Shimla district have reached the markets.

Analysis of the marketing of apples in Himachal Pradesh, India, shows that despite the price support for apples announced since 1981, the marketing system is riddled with myriad problems. Farmers had marketing margins of 41% in 1984-85 and 42% in 1995-96. It is suggested that multipronged strategies should be explored for the future development of horticultural crops in the state in order to achieve better returns for the growers.

The growing importance of the Apple Industry is bringing about a revolution in the state.Himachal Pradesh is now one of those states of the country which is quickly transforming itself from the most backward state to an advanced one.

Some future projects consists of:

(a) A network of one transhipment center and about twelve packing houses, three collection stations,and
four cold storages;

(b) A juice concentrate plant to utilize cull apples not marketable as fresh fruit;

(c) Road construction and improvements providing sufficient all-weather road
connections between orchard areas and project collection stations and packing
houses, and the necessary road links from them to the existing highways system;

(d) Aerial cableways in selected production areas where the steep terrain precludes
economic road construction;

(e) Training programs and technical assistance;

(f) A project evaluation study.