Apple production may barely go past last year’s yield of 2 cr boxes

A little over 1.36 crore apple boxes have been marketed so far from the state. While around 80 lakh boxes have been sold in the APMC mandis in the state, over 52 lakh boxes have sold outside the APMC mandis, including outside the state. Apple growers feel that the produce this time will barely go past last year’s yield. Last year, the production was a little over two crore boxes.

Harish Chauhan, convener of the Sanyukt Kisan Manch, said that increasing production and productivity has become a big challenge for the apple growers. “For the last many years, around 40 to 50 lakh new plants are being planted every year. Yet, the overall production is showing no sign of improvement,” he said. “Much of the crop has been harvested this season. I think around 60 to 70 lakh boxes are left behind now in Shimla district and Kinnaur. So, we will end with roughly the same production as last year,” he said.

The state had seen the maximum production in 2020, when 5.11 crore boxers were produced. In the following 15 years, the production hasn’t come close to that mark even though the land under apple cultivation has increased.

The growers say the despite low production, the growers were not getting good prices. “The market has become sluggish when the best quality apple from high-altitude orchards is arriving. If the market works purely on demand and sully principle, why the market is slowing down even when the production is low?” asked another grower.