SHIMLA: Inclement weather condition has resulted in less production of apple crop in Himachal Pradesh this season. Less snowfall, hailstorm and rains have caused extensive damage to the apple crop in the middle range (5500 feet to 7000 feet) where maximum production was being recorded. It is expected that apple production would not touch 2 crore boxes mark this time.Apple economy of Himachal Pradesh is pegged at around Rs 3500 crore and less production would have direct bearing on state's economy. Apple is most important fruit crop of Himachal Pradesh as it constitutes about 49% of the total fruit production. Area under apple has increased from 400 hectares in 1950-51 to 30235 hectares in 1960-61, and 1,10,679 hectares in 2015-16. Apple is largely produced in the districts of Shimla, Kullu, Kinnaur, Mandi, Chamba, Sirmaur and Lahaul-Spiti.Apple growers said that last year there was no autumn rain and during winter only one spell of snowfall was received due to which required chilling hours (1200 hours for good crop) were not fulfilled below 7000 feet apple growing areas. Later hailstorm and rain caused further damage.Initially there were expectation that around 4.40 crore boxes would be produced in this season but now horticulture department officials are expecting apple production to remain around 2.70 crore boxes considering the damaged caused by hailstorm and rain. Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation Limited (HPMC), vice-chairman, Prakash Thakur said that considering the impact of inclement weather conditions apple production would not even touch the 2 crore boxes this time. "Production would remain less than last year,' he said.Thakur said that apple production is good in the areas above 7000 feet but it is severely affected in the belt falling between 5500 feet to 7000 feet where maximum production takes place.Ashutosh Chauhan, a resident of Ratnari village in Shimla district said that hailstorm and rain has left the crop damage due to which production has remained low. He said that at the time of flowering itself gusty winds and storms had affected the crop. "Later hailstorm had damaged around 30 to 40% crop," he added.In Shimla district, hailstorm had damaged apple crop in the areas of Kotgarh, Kumarsain, Theog, upper areas of Rampur, Kotkhai, Jubbal besides Karsog area of Mandi district. Last year, state had recorded production of 2.34 crore boxes while this time it would be remain less than that. In 2010, state had recorded production of 4.46 crore boxes while in 2015, 3.88 crore boxes were produced in the state.

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