Apple fails to please Himachal farmers this time - Shimla Now

Despite witnessing bumper production of apple crop this year growers in Himachal Pradesh are dejected as they failed to get the desired price due to dwindling market situation. But those who preferred vegetables over apple are beaming as they got good returns this time. Traditionally known as Apple state, now people are turning towards vegetable cultivation which is ensuring high returns and required less labour in comparison.

"We had bumper crop this year but even then we were forced to sell apple at much lower rates. Apple crop needs lots of labour but returns are low in comparison while on the other side vegetable is ensuring high returns and people are slowly turning towards vegetable cultivation in the district," said Ashutosh Chauhan, apple grower from Ratnari village of Shimla district.

Even in Kullu district people are more into vegetable cultivation now seeing good profit involved. Cash crops like tomato, peas and cabbage and cauliflower have ensured good returns to farmers this time. A trader from Kullu said that vegetable this time has ensured 50% more income. From Shimla, Kinnaur, Kullu districts around 2.3 crore apple boxes have already been sent out of state but growers are not happy due to prevailing poor market conditions.

In Himachal Pradesh, commercial cultivation of apple had started from Shimla district but here too now people are turning towards vegetable cultivation in major way after fed up with the poor apple market and harassment at the hands of commission agents in the markets located outside the state.

With apple production facing a decline due to global warming and dwindling market conditions, vegetable cultivation is gaining popularity among farmers in the state. In 1951-52 state had vegetable production area of 3000 hectares with annual production of 25000 ton which has now increased to 65000 hectares with annual production of 1269 thousand tons during 2010-2011.

Vegetable economy in Himachal Pradesh has almost equaled apple economy. In the state vegetable economy is around Rs 1500 crore while apple economy is pegged around Rs 2500 crore. Good returns over the years has prompted 5 lakh farmers in the state to adopt vegetable cultivation whose net income has increased from Rs 8000-10,000 per hectare from food grains to Rs 1 lakh to 1.5 lakh per hectare after switching to off seasonal vegetable cultivation, said a senior official from agriculture department.

Factfile:

Major vegetable crop includes peas, tomato, capsicum, cabbage, cauliflower and potato. Annual production of Peas is around 2.54 lakh tone from 22,800 hectare area, while tomato production is 3.88 lakh tonne from 9900 hectare area, Capsicum production is 32000 tonne from 2100 hectare, potato production is 2 lakh tonne from 15000 hectare area, cabbage production is 1.44 lakh tonne from 4500 hectare area, Cauliflower production is 61000 tonnes from 3000 hectare area while Garlic production is 47000 tonnes from 3600 hectare area.

Via: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Apple-fails-to-please-Himachal-farmers-this-time/articleshow/23825233.cms