Predictions that the number of apple cartons would surpass the 20 million mark this season in Himachal Pradesh have been well off target; as the season draws to a close, the figure has not even reached 15 million cartons. Farmers attributed the lean apple crop to the drought-like condition last winter, hails and storms and the presence of various viruses in the soil.
Though farmers are getting good prices for the best-quality fruit ranging from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,100 per carton in the open markets due to the lean season, the estimates on the apple production fell short by around 30 per cent to 40 per cent. In 2015-16, Himachal produced about 38.8 million apple cartons while this year, the production may not exceed 19 million cartons, which is about 50 per cent of the last year’s crop, revealed farmers.
According to the latest Horticulture Department’s figure, Himachal has exported about 14.6 million apple cartons to other states. Now only 10 per cent of apple, mainly concentrated in higher altitudes including tribal Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti, is left to be harvested.
The Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Produce, Processing and Marketing Corporation (HPMC) faces the shortage of the culled fruit for processing this time as the corporation has procured about 4,457 tonnes of apple as compared to 10,000 tonnes procured last year.
Laksham Thakur, chairman, Ecohorts, Nandpur in the Jubbal valley said the estimate of production had run about 20 per cent to 30 per cent short of target this time, he added.
The main reason for the fall in the apple production, including fruit size, colour and quality, could be attributed to the growing presence of viruses in the soil of apple orchards, observed Hari Roach, a farmer from Kotgarh. “Fruit scientists must investigate the viruses in the soil and suggest better management practices and provide the certified virus-free plant material to the farmers,” he added.
HPMC vice-chairperson Prakash Thakur said the corporation was getting less quantity of fruit this time as the farmers were getting good prices for even B and C-grade fruit.
(1 Indian Rupee=0.015USD)
Source: tribuneindia.com
