A mild winter and a prolonged dry spell is threatening to hamper the quality of the normally lucrative apple crop in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, according to Indianexpress.com
The state’s fruit industry is fearing a major financial blow after four months of no rain and an absence of winter snow, which has deprived orchards of requisite chilling, the report said.
“There is no moisture in soil since the past four months. The plants have turned pale. This could be dangerous for the upcoming crop. The actual impact of the dry spell and an abnormally high temperature will be known only in the next few days,” said Rohit Thakur, apple grower and grandson of state’s former chief minister Thakur Ram Lal.
Lekh Ram Chauhan, president, Himachal Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association, told the publication: “The way day temperature increased in February and mid-March has created fears of an early flowering and could further ruin prospects of quality crop. The fruit will be weak and vulnerable.”
Himachal’s apple crop accounts for an economy of Rs 1,500 crore (US$290m), and some new apple varieties planted recently had fuelled hopes of export, according to Indianexpress.com. Big corporate houses, too, had begun lining up to buy apples directly from the growers, the publications said.
