Climate changes, heatwave impacts Himachal’s apple crop
Shimla: Hit hard by climate changes and a prolonged dry spell, the apple crop in Himachal Pradesh is bearing the brunt of the heatwave—an unprecedented increase in temperature and the absence of any cooling effect from the failed rains.
Even as the Meteorological Department has forecast the arrival of the monsoon by next week, the sporadic spell of rains and thunderstorms in the hills has not helped the orchardists, who fear a substantial drop in produce this season. The apple growers claim that the crop this time is below normal. The heatwave has burnt the leaves of the apple plants and resulted in the dropping of the fruits or even the yellowing of the plants.
The dry spell and lack of rain have already impacted stone fruits like cherries, almonds, and apricots. If the monsoon arrives next week, the crop could be saved to some extent, yet the yield is going to take a hit, particularly in the size of the apples. The apple economy in Himachal Pradesh is worth Rs 5,500 crore, but due to unpredictable weather and harsh climatic conditions, the fruit industry is facing a crisis.
“Delayed snowfall has already caused a severe impact on the chilling hours needed by the plants during the dormant period after the previous season. In fact, the entire cycle of snow and winter rains has changed, and this is not suiting the traditional apple varieties like Red Delicious and Royal,” says Aman Chauhan, an orchardist at Kotkhai.
Former vice-chairman of HPMC Prakash Thakur, who is an experienced apple grower, says, “Global warming has also had a profound impact on apple farming in Himachal. Since the 1980s, apple growers have been feeling the impact of erratic weather patterns. The recent example of how weather can affect farming is of 2023. The winters went dry in most of the apple growing regions of Himachal, which resulted in poor fruit set.”
The apple growers of Kotkhai, Rohru, Chopal, and Theog have reported the dropping of apples due to the dry spell and heat. The crop is already low in most orchards, and now an unusual dropping rate will adversely affect the production, it is feared.
Harish Chauhan, a leading apple grower, claims that the apple economy is under much stress due to extreme weather conditions. Last year there were excessive rains, but this time there have been no rains. The temperature was also high in the hills, though the plains were already in the grip of unprecedented heat.
Meanwhile, the 53rd GST Council, at its meeting in New Delhi on Saturday, gave major relief to the apple growers by recommending a reduction in the GST on all kinds of cartons from 18 per cent to 12 per cent.
The decision would provide major relief to both horticulturists and carton manufacturers. Notably, Himachal Pradesh has been persistently pleading for a reduction in GST on apple cartons. Industry minister Harshwardhan Chauhan said the decision would help the industry reduce the working capital cost.
