Apple production in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh could decline significantly this season as cold weather hampers flower pollination.
Some growers in the region believe the crop yield this year could be down by as much as 30 per cent.
“This time the chances of facing crop losses are high, as the temperature should be high when the apple trees are flowering. If the atmosphere is warm more bees pollinate the trees. But with the temperature decreasing, a good crop is not likely,” apple grower Niranjan Singh told NTD Television.
Regional Horticulture Officer HR Sharma said low temperatures can damage pollen tubes in the flowers of apples trees and affect fruit development.
According to the news source experts believe a good crop requires temperatures between 16-20oC during fruit set.
Himachal Pradesh produces, on average, 550,000 tonnes of apples per year with almost half of the land in the state planted to apples, reported NTD Television.
Meanwhile, a team of horticultural experts from New Zealand has visited Himachal Pradesh to forge a strategic plan for boosting productivity in the state's apple industry, according to local news source HimVani.
The five-member team, led by Dr Andy McGrath, visited Dr Ys Parmar University of Horticulture & Forestry in Nauni where they formulated the collaborative programme. The team also held meetings with faculty members, university officials and a large number of progressive orchards from the region, HimVani reported.
Rates of productivity in the Indian apple industry are notoriously low, with most industry estimates putting them at around 6-7 tonnes, less than half the global average. Together with Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh dominates Indian apple production, and while Himachal Pradesh is far more advanced than its neighbouring state in terms of pre- and post-harvest standards, its productivity levels are reported to be half those of Kashmir.
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