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HP to rope in Italian firms to tackle dip in apple production output
Over the last few years, the state’s apple production has declined due to low survival rates of imported saplings
Keeping in view the falling apple production amid low survival rates of imported saplings, the Himachal government has decided to rope in Italian companies to set up nurseries in the state itself.
“We have approached Italian companies to set up state-of-the-art nurseries in Himachal. Apple import is a time-consuming process and the success rate of imported apple plants is low – due to the delays,” said state horticulture and revenue minister Jagat Singh Negi. “There has been a drastic decline in apple production after 2010, we are now studying the partners and factors that are responsible for the fall,” he added.
The government has directed the revenue department to identify 200 bighas of land in a region that is suitable for apple growing.
The Italian apple nurseries in Himachal Pradesh will in turn supply hybrid saplings to growers in Uttarakhand, and Jammu and Kashmir. “Fruit growers will get apple saplings at affordable rates and will not have to bear the expense of importing saplings from abroad,” Negi said.
The highest-ever production figure of 5.11 crore boxes of apples in Himachal Pradesh was registered in 2010, but the mark has never been crossed since. In 2018, the production had hit a low of 1.65 crore boxes.
The state government had been importing apple saplings from other countries, including Italy, every year. The plants are kept in the nurseries of the horticulture department for quarantine, although a large number of these plants dry up due to one or the other reasons. After setting up the nursery in Himachal, the plants will grow in a favourable environment, boosting the survival rate.
The apple economy is valued at ₹6,000 crore. Being a commercially important fruit, as many as 450 cultivars of apples collected from all over the world are grown in the state. Of the 12 districts apple is now grown in seven districts of the state including, Shimla, Kullu, Sirmaur, Chamba, Mandi, Kinnaur and Lahual and Spiti.
The widely-grown varieties are Royal Delicious, Rich-A-Red, Red Delicious and Golden Delicious. But the apple growers over the last decade have gradually replaced the senile apple plants with foreign varieties. In the lower heights between 4,500 to 6,500 feet above sea level, the orchard owners are gradually replacing the traditional variety with Scarlet Spur two – an improved variety of red delicious that was first grown in Washington in 1980.
Jeromine, a variety grown in Italy, is in high demand in the orchards situated in the lower elevations. The Jerome tree has strong vigour with upright branches. It is grafted on a moderate rootstock. It is more suitable for the lower elevation where fruit colour is a problem. The tree is highly productive with excellent size. The Jeromine tree produces high-quality fruit with an intense blushed red colour. The shape of the Jeromine apple is oblong. The fruit starts colouring from the walnut stage and can be harvested early. Super Chief, another apple variety that is grown in America, is in high demand in Himachal Pradesh.
