Shimla (Himachal Pradesh): With the apple season over in Himachal Pradesh, production has declined by 30% than the previous year.
Apple is associated with the identity of Himachal and apples are grown on more than 1 lakh hectares of land in the state.
Approximately 4 lakh families are associated with apple production in the state. 80 per cent of the apple production in the state is in Shimla district alone.
More than 50 foreign varieties of apples are grown in Himachal Pradesh.
10 million apple boxes reduced
Himachal is second in apple production in the country after Jammu and Kashmir. Himachal Pradesh's apple economy is worth 4000 crores contributing nearly about 4% GDP to the state.
Last year Himachal had produced 30 million boxes of apples, while this time this production was reduced to 27 million boxes only. The production of about one crore boxes has reduced this time in Himachal.
Double whammy for the fruit growers
This time apple production was reduced and the growers did not get a good price in the market. The farmers had to face problems from the beginning of apple season. The crops were hit by unsuitable weather; in the high altitude areas, the damage was immense hurting the quality and output. Remaining damage was caused by the hailstorm.
The areas that had good crop were attacked by scab disease. Finally, when the owners reached the market with their crops, they did not get the expected price.
Scab forced people into bankruptcy
Four decades later, the scab has caused such widespread damage to the production of apples in Himachal. According to the state horticulture department, about four decades ago, in the year 1984, the apples were ravaged by the scab disease. This time, more than 4 thousand hectare area in apple-growing districts was affected by the disease.
According to the report of the department, the scab caused the most damage to the apple crop in Kinnaur district. Disease ruined the apple crop from Shimla district, which is the largest producer of apples, to Mandi, Kullu, Chamba and Sirmaur. The scab was the highest in 1800 hectares in Kinnaur, 1160 hectares in Shimla district and 960 hectares in Mandi district.
What is scab disease?
Scab disease is like cancer in apples. It is genetic. This disease first attacks the leaves of the apple tree. Once apple fruit is affected by it, even animals do not eat that fruit. Scab is a fungal disease and this year, Himachal has witnessed its outbreak again after 1984.
Apple Production in Himachal
Year Production
2007 29.9 crore boxes
2008 25.5 crore boxes
2009 1.40 crore boxes
2010 4.46 crore boxes
2011 1.38 crore boxes
2012 1.84 crore boxes
2013 3.69 crore boxes
2014 2.80 crore boxes
2015 3.88 crore boxes
2016 24.5 crore boxes
2017 2.08 crore boxes
2018 1.65 crore boxes
2019 3.75 crore boxes
2020 2.70 crore boxes
Also Read: Floods turn Himachal apple business 'sour'
