Shimla, May 27
Unfavourable weather conditions, particularly snow, rain and unusually low temperature during the flowering period, may have hit the apple crop, but a lean crop does not mean poor returns to growers.
As per the preliminary estimates, the production during the coming season is likely to be around 2.50 crore boxes, without taking into account the expected fruit dropping during June. A normal trend in dropping will ensure an outturn of 2.25 crore boxes, almost 50 per cent of last years record production of 4.46 crore boxes.
However, it is much higher than the 1.40 crore boxes produced in 2009 when the state had a lean crop. As such, the prospects are not all that bleak, but appear to be so when compared to the record production of 2010, which was an unusual year by all accounts.
The previous highest production had been 2.97 crore boxes achieved in 2007.
If one takes the average production into account, the production will slightly below normal and as a lean crop invariably fetches higher prices and ensures smooth transportation of the produce to market.
“The production may be on the lower side, but the quality of fruit will be good as there is enough moisture in the soil as normal monsoon will ensure a good-sized fruit”, Director of Horticulture Gurdev Singh points out.
A leading grower and chairman of the Himalayan Apple Growers’ Society Rajeev Chauhan maintains that rain, hailstorm and overcast skies are not an unusual phenomenon. The fruit setting is good always in the properly managed orchards where the pollination aspect is taken care of.
A slight fall in production does not affect the net returns to growers as they have to spend much less on packaging and transportation and the market price stays high throughot the season.
Even otherwise, the production has showed an irregular pattern with 1999 being the lowest when the outturn failed to cross one crore boxes.
Unfavourable weather conditions, particularly snow, rain and unusually low temperature during the flowering period, may have hit the apple crop, but a lean crop does not mean poor returns to growers.
As per the preliminary estimates, the production during the coming season is likely to be around 2.50 crore boxes, without taking into account the expected fruit dropping during June. A normal trend in dropping will ensure an outturn of 2.25 crore boxes, almost 50 per cent of last years record production of 4.46 crore boxes.
However, it is much higher than the 1.40 crore boxes produced in 2009 when the state had a lean crop. As such, the prospects are not all that bleak, but appear to be so when compared to the record production of 2010, which was an unusual year by all accounts.
The previous highest production had been 2.97 crore boxes achieved in 2007.
If one takes the average production into account, the production will slightly below normal and as a lean crop invariably fetches higher prices and ensures smooth transportation of the produce to market.
“The production may be on the lower side, but the quality of fruit will be good as there is enough moisture in the soil as normal monsoon will ensure a good-sized fruit”, Director of Horticulture Gurdev Singh points out.
A leading grower and chairman of the Himalayan Apple Growers’ Society Rajeev Chauhan maintains that rain, hailstorm and overcast skies are not an unusual phenomenon. The fruit setting is good always in the properly managed orchards where the pollination aspect is taken care of.
A slight fall in production does not affect the net returns to growers as they have to spend much less on packaging and transportation and the market price stays high throughot the season.
Even otherwise, the production has showed an irregular pattern with 1999 being the lowest when the outturn failed to cross one crore boxes.
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