CHANDIGARH: Apple yield in Himachal Pradesh has fallen by at least 50% due to unfavourable weather conditions leading to the spread of fungal diseases. Apple trade has also been hit significantly as heavy rains damaged key road routes. After the torrential rains the past monsoon season, a prolonged dry spell has persisted in the hill state, leaving apple growers anxious.
The state government has urged the Centre to intervene urgently against the influx of imported apples, and include apples under 'special category' trade goods to shield domestic growers from international competition.
Himachal produces about 5.5 lakh metric tonnes of apples every year, generating around Rs 4,500 crore. Apple accounts for nearly 80% of the state’s total fruit output. The crop supports over 2.5 lakh farmers and creates 10 lakh days of employment every year.
Talking to TNIE, Harish Chauhan, a leading apple grower and the convener of Kisan Samyukt Manch, said, "around 50% of apple trees in each orchard were affected by the Alternaria leaf spot fungal infection. The blotch primarily damages leaves of apple plants, resulting in premature defoliation and damage to fruit."
Chauhan noted that the fungal infection have resulted in poor quality apples that are small in size and of unappealing colour.
He further noted that the lack of road connectivity made the problem worse, as the harvested apples could not be taken to the markets and had to be discarded.
Around 30% of 'culled' apples were bought under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) by the state government at Rs 12 per kg.
"The rates fell steeply as box of apples which contains (22-24 kg) is sold around Rs 2,500 per box but this year it was sold between Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 per box. Thus a apple which was costing Rs 100 was sold between Rs 40 and Rs 60," Chauhan said.
He added, "With the Union Budget around the corner, we are hoping for major relief. We are demanding higher import duties on foreign apples, minimum support price (MSP) for apples, and subsidies on fertilizers and pesticides to offset escalating production costs."
"This year 2.74 crore apple boxes were produced. Of these, 98,000 metric tones of the fruit went in MIS. In 2010, the production was 5.50 crore boxes (1.10 lakh metric tonnes), but it declined year by year due to climate change: in 2015-16; 3.88 crore boxes, 2016-17; 2.34 crore boxes, 2017-18; 2.33 crore boxes, 2018-19; 1.84 crore boxes, 2019-20; 3.57 crore boxes, 2020-21; 2.40 crore boxes, 2021-22; 3.05 crore boxes, 2022-23; 3.36 crore boxes, 2023-24; 2.53 crore boxes, 2024-25; 2.51 crore boxes were produced," he said.
Chauhan added that there has been very little snowfall so far, which will impact apple crop negatively. "The trees need a specific period of cold temperatures especially between January and February to bloom and fruit properly. Without adequate snow and cold conditions the flowering might be less, uneven bud break and reduced fruit set. Not only this, the snow also acts as a natural moisture."
The apples growers in Kullu, Kinnaur, Shimla, Mandi, and Chamba suffered due to lack of market connectivity.
State Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi said, "A record 98,000 MT apple was procured under the MIS in 2025, but nearly 30,000 MT had to be destroyed as Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (HPMC) could not lift the fruit in time due to broken and damaged roads."
The order to destroy the procured fruit, piled up in huge heaps along the roads at various places, was issued when the fruit started to rot.
In a meeting held earlier this week Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu took up this issue with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and demanded that apples be included in the 'special category' to shield domestic growers from unfair international competition.
Sukhu called for an immediate ban on all apple imports during the peak production window of July to November, and a hike in import duty of apples to 100% during off-season months to discourage foreign dumping. He also requested for quantitative restriction on apple imports.
The CM conveyed the concerns of a delegation of progressive orchardists over reduction of import duty on apples being imported from New Zealand which has adversely affected the interests of local orchardists.
He expressed grave concern over Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with New Zealand, noting that imports have surged 2.5 times over past ten years. He said that the 25 per cent duty exemption for New Zealand apples during the April-August window, was crashing prices for local apples stored in cold storage facilities, effectively destroying the off-season trade for Himachal’s growers.