India To Face Apple Shortage Due To Heavy Rains

India is projected to experience a significant decrease in apple production this year due to heavy rains and flash floods which caused substantial losses, approximately Rs 1000 crore worth of fruit, in the primary apple-producing regions of the country, namely Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. 

The impact of heavy rains extended beyond the farms, causing damage to roads, power lines, and infrastructure worth Rs 4500 crore in Himachal Pradesh. Additionally, adverse weather conditions affected India's crucial rice crop, leading to an export ban recently. 

Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh are responsible for almost all of India's apple production, with the majority being consumed domestically. Only a small fraction, less than two per cent, is exported mainly to Bangladesh and Nepal. 

The situation worsened when a fungus infestation left fruits, including apples, to rot in the farms, according to farmer unions. 

Harish Chauhan, the state convener of farmers union Samyukta Kisan Manch, disclosed that about 10 per cent of Himachal's apple orchards were washed away, resulting in significant losses as it takes around 15 years for the trees to bear fruit. 

The Apple Growers Association of India and Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers estimated that Kashmir, being the largest apple grower in the country, would experience a 50 per cent decline in output compared to the previous year's 1.87 million metric tons. 

Ravinder Chauhan, the president of the Apple Growers Association, explained that the crops were severely impacted due to insufficient snowfall during the winter and excessive rains later in the season, which damaged the farms. 

Monsoon data from the weather department revealed that Kashmir received 50 per cent more rain than the average, while Himachal state, the second-largest producer, recorded 79 per cent more rain than normal since the monsoon began on 1 June. 

The horticulture department in Kashmir estimated the overall damage to fruit crops to be up to USD 109.78 million. 

In Himachal state, output is anticipated to decrease by 40 per cent from the 640,000 metric tons produced last year, as reported by a state official.