Apple orchards in the lower regions of Himachal Pradesh have recorded a bumper crop this year. This has led to prices plunging to record lows early in the harvest season.
"Commission agents in Delhi say they have never seen such a huge arrival of apples in July and early August. This is due to the heavy crop in the lower heights of the state," says Ranjeet Mehta, a farmer from Kotgarh in the apple heartland. "The poor quality of the fruit has further brought down prices."
With the harvest nearly over in the lower regions, arrivals of the fruit from the mid- and higher regions would begin in the coming weeks. As production in the higher regions is lower, prices are expected to stabilise in the coming days, farmers say. Also, as the colour and taste of the fruit from these regions is better, markets would start recording better varieties.
In Himachal Pradesh, the mid-and higher hills account for about three quarters of the area under apple cultivation. The state accounts for a third of the country's apple production. The rest is produced by neighbouring Jammu & Kashmir.
"Commission agents in Delhi say they have never seen such a huge arrival of apples in July and early August. This is due to the heavy crop in the lower heights of the state," says Ranjeet Mehta, a farmer from Kotgarh in the apple heartland. "The poor quality of the fruit has further brought down prices."
With the harvest nearly over in the lower regions, arrivals of the fruit from the mid- and higher regions would begin in the coming weeks. As production in the higher regions is lower, prices are expected to stabilise in the coming days, farmers say. Also, as the colour and taste of the fruit from these regions is better, markets would start recording better varieties.
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In August 2012, prices varied between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,500 for a box of about 24 kg. This time, returns stand at Rs 700-1,400 a box. "Now, it remains to be seen if the prices would rise or remain the same in the next two months, before the harvest ends," says Mehta.
In Himachal Pradesh, the mid-and higher hills account for about three quarters of the area under apple cultivation. The state accounts for a third of the country's apple production. The rest is produced by neighbouring Jammu & Kashmir.