Tribune News Service
Shimla, November 15
The state is set to register the highest apple production this season as compared to the past five years. While Himachal produced 3.88 crore boxes in 2015, the final yield this time is likely to be around 3.5 crore boxes.
Highest output of 5 cr boxes in 2010
- Himachal witnessed the highest-ever production in 2010, when over five crore boxes were produced. In the next decade, the state breached the 3 crore mark only thrice- in 2013, 2015, and 2019.
- Even as the final yield this time is likely to be around 3.5 crore boxes, growers consider it a normal yield, not a bumper crop.
- Had the untimely snow at the time of flowering, a spell of drought and then persistent hailstorm not damaged the crop and trees, the yield as well as the income would have been much higher, experts said.
"Three crore boxes have already been marketed in and outside the state," said Gyan Verma, Senior Marketing Officer, Horticulture Department. "We are expecting just 1-2 lakh boxes more from higher reaches of the state," he said.
With the HPMC and HIMFED procuring around 73,000 metric tonne through the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS), which translates into around 30 lakh boxes, the count went up to 3.3 crore. The addition of around 10-15 lakh boxes bought by private CA stores and home consumption would take the total to around 3.5 lakh.
The state witnessed the highest-ever production in 2010, when over five crore boxes were produced. In the next decade, the state breached the 3 crore mark only thrice— in 2013, 2015, and 2019.
However, even as the yield will be around 3.5 boxes this year, apple growers consider it a normal yield, not a bumper crop. "We produced over 5 crore boxes a decade back. Ever since, the plantation has increased substantially but we are still not touching the four-crore mark," said Harish Chauhan, president of the Fruit, Vegetable and Flower Growers Association of the state.
Verma believes that the overall apple business this year would be around Rs 5,000 crore. "Three crore boxes have been marketed. At an estimated average price of Rs 1,400-1,500 per box, we get somewhere around Rs 4,500 crore. And when we add the cost of apple bought by CA stores and through MIS, the overall figure should be around Rs 5,000 crore," he stated.
Had the untimely snow at the time of flowering, a spell of drought and then persistent hailstorm not damaged the crop and trees, the yield as well as the income would have been much higher. The record procurement of c-grade apples by HPMC and Himfed this season reflects the losses suffered by the growers owing to poor quality and size of the fruit this time.
"There has been a loss of around Rs 700-800 crore because of untimely snow, drought and hailstorm. The Horticulture Department had estimated the loss of around Rs 300 crore due to snow at the flowering stage. It is really sad that growers have not received any compensation till date," Chauhan added.
Courtesy: Tribune News Service