Himachal Pradesh stares at 50% dip in apple output this year

Subhash Rajta

Shimla, June 30

Himachal Pradesh is likely to witness a sharp dip in apple production this year. As per official estimates, the production will be between one-and-a-half and two crore boxes, against 3.36 crore boxes witnessed last year a drop of nearly 50%.

Since 2010, when the state recorded its highest produce ever with over four crore boxes, the production has dipped below two crore boxes only thrice in 2011, 2012 and 2018.

“The weather this year has not been conducive at different stages of development of the fruit. As per our estimates, the produce is likely to be nearly two crore boxes,” says Amitabh Awasthi, Secretary, Horticulture. The drastic drop in production estimates reflects how fickle the weather has been this year, and heavy reliance of fruit on climatic conditions.“The weather has become extremely fickle. The Department of Environment Sciences and the government need to study the changing weather patterns and its impact on apple. We need to bring in more technology to mitigate the impact of adverse climate conditions on production,” says Harish Chauhan, convener, Sanyukt Kisan Manch. Even as the area under apple cultivation is increasing steadily from 1,01,485 hectares in 2010 to 1,14,646 hectares in 2020 the state has not been able to match its 2010 production in the past 13 years.

Over the past four years, the production seems to have stabilised around three crore boxes, but this year a substantial dip seems imminent.

“Our per hectare yield is merely 7-8 metric tonne (MT), while advanced horticulture countries such as New Zealand are trying to hit 70 MT per hectare,” says Chauhan.

Awasthi feels the production level will not fluctuate much until the high-density plantation done under the World Bank-aided HP Horticulture Development Project starts bearing fruit in the next two to three years. “These plants are much smaller in size than traditional ones, and hence their management and protection from adverse weather will be relatively easier,” he adds.