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After rain, fungal disease outbreak worries apple growers in Himachal
Express concern over unusually heavy rain during apple and mango harvest season; vegetable growers cite shortage of fertiliser due to disruption in supply chain
The flash floods caused by heavy rain over the past 10 days have led to extensive damage in orchards of Himachal Pradesh with apple and mango growers worried about the outbreak of a fungal disease as the harvest season is underway, while vegetable and maize farmers cited shortage of fertiliser due to disruption in the supply chain.
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Farmers in Una district are grappling with the delay in supply of urea needed for the optimal growth of maize and green vegetables. With nearly 5,000 hectares under cultivation in Una district, farmers are concerned as most warehouses don’t have urea stock left. “We have checked warehouses in the district but have had to return empty-handed,” said Vinod Kumar, a farmer from Una.
The disruption in rail services to Una district has impeded the fertiliser supply chain for Kangra, Bilaspur and Hamirpur districts. Though rail services have resumed, official sources say it may take up to a week for the fertiliser to reach the district. The delay could have detrimental consequences for the yield.
Supply being expedited
The authorities have assured them that the fertiliser is expected to arrive within a week, but any further delay could affect the yield.
Bhuvnesh Pathania, the manager of Himachal Pradesh Rajya Vikas Nigam, acknowledged the challenges in transporting the fertiliser by rail due to the damage to the infrastructure. However, he said the situation is now under control and efforts are being made to expedite the supply.
The maize crop harvesting is about to start in the state and farmers say the fertiliser input is critical in its grain-filling stage. With many parts of Kangra and Una districts inundated due to flooding streams and rivers in spate, the supply chain has been hit.
Vegetable crops, such as capsicum, cucurbits, tomatoes and peas, have been destroyed due to heavy rain. “Crop loss in Himachal is widespread. We are still assessing the damage,” state agriculture director Rajesh Kaushik said.
Rain delays spraying
This time, the apple yield has become a concern for growers. It takes about 40 days for the symptoms of Marssonina blotch, a disease caused by plant pathogen Diplocarpon Mali, to appear. “Severe epidemics cause early defoliation before harvest, which affects the fruit size, colour, and yield as well as tree vigour and fruit-bearing capacity,” says Harish Chauhan, the convener of the Kisan Samyukt Manch.
The rain led to the outbreak of Alternaria, a fungal disease that causes leaf blotch, fruit spots, and mouldy core diseases.
This time, the continuous rain is not giving farmers the window to spray and control the outbreak. “Fungal diseases are spreading from one orchard to another in the apple-growing regions and it is becoming difficult to control them,” says Ashutosh Chauhan, the vice-president of the Progressive Apple Growers’ Association.
The rains have caused landslides in orchards, damaging apple trees. “At least 50 fully grown trees have been damaged in the flash flood-induced landslide, “says Brijlal Chauhan, an apple grower from Shimla.
Apple yield set to drop by 50%
The unusually warm winter and abrupt rainfall pattern this time are likely to lead to a decline in apple production by 50% this year.
According reports from field staff of the horticulture department, apple production is likely to remain at 1.25 crore boxes. Apple alone makes for ₹the 6,000-crore economy in Himachal Pradesh and sustains more than 1.75 families in Shimla, Kullu and Kinnaur districts.
It covers 48% of the state’s total area under fruit crops and 81% of the production during the 2021-22 financial year.
The area under apple stood at 1,15,016 hectares in 2021-22.
Rain has also led to the rotting of stone fruits, such as peaches and pears, while growers in Kangra region have reported a fungal disease outbreak in the mango yield, too.
