No snow in Kashmir, Himachal can damage apples: Growers
Apple growers in India's prime apple-growing regions of Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh are facing a significant drop in production this year due to the absence of snowfall and rainfall in the crucial January period, according to apple growers. This could lead to higher apple prices for consumers and income losses for farmers, as these two regions account for about 95% of India's apple production.
“Apple production is bracing for a major impact as it requires a chilling period of around a hundred days for quality apples,” said Mian Naqsh, an apple grower from J&K with a large orchard.
He said insufficient moisture due to the absence of snowfall can affect crop quality as well as the yield, which could push prices higher eventually.
Both Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh haven’t witnessed any rainfall or snowfall during the first 22 days of January, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), dampening sentiment among apple growers. The main apple producing states faced a large deficiency in rainfall in December also with Jammu and Kashmir at about 80% and around 85% in Himachal Pradesh.
Jammu and Kashmir contributes about 75% to India’s apple output while Himachal Pradesh has a share of about 20%.
Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Sikkim account for the rest of production.
Normally, snowfall starts in November-December every year in these Himalayan regions and continues till January-end, according to growers.
The country is the fifth largest producer of apples in the world, even though its share in global apple production is just 3%.
According to apple growers, chilling hours required for apple trees are insufficient due to the absence of snow. Most apple varieties require 800-1000
