Kinnaur’s traditional organic crops decline amid rising apple cultivation

Kinnaur, a tribal district in Himachal Pradesh, is witnessing a decline in its traditional organic crops and dry fruits as newer high-yield apple varieties encroach upon their cultivation. Renowned globally for its organic hill products, Kinnaur is now seeing these unique offerings vanish from markets and fairs, including the iconic International Lavi Fair. This fair, a symbol of India-Tibet trade relations, is struggling to sustain its identity due to the dwindling availability of indigenous products.

Farmers and horticulture experts attribute this shift to the labour-intensive and high-cost nature of traditional crop production, compared to the quicker and more profitable returns offered by apple orchards. Dr Ashwani, a horticulture expert, highlighted that high-yield apple varieties, primarily from abroad, start producing substantial yields within four to five years. These financial incentives have motivated farmers to convert large areas of land into apple orchards, reducing the cultivation of crops like apricots, almonds, chilgoza (pine nuts), and black cumin.

This year’s Lavi Fair reflected the trend, with insufficient supplies of Kinnaur’s signature products like almonds, apricots, kidney beans and chilgoza. Atul Negi from Lio village, who has been participating in the fair for years, reported a drastic drop in production. He used to bring 12–15 quintals of apricots and 3 quintals of almonds but managed only1 quintal of apricots and 30 kg of almonds this year. Similarly, Yashwant Singh from Rispa village noted that increasing apple cultivation has left little room for other crops, driving up prices and disappointing buyers.

Agriculture expert Dr Rajesh Jaiswal emphasised the need to promote traditional crops, which are rich in medicinal properties and essential for a healthy lifestyle. The agriculture department is attempting to address this issue by offering subsidies and seeds to encourage farmers to preserve Kinnaur’s agricultural diversity.

Despite these efforts, the allure of high profits from apple farming continues to dominate. Experts warn that this trend, if unchecked, could lead to the permanent loss of Kinnaur’s unique agricultural heritage, a key part of its identity and economy.