Missing snow, too much rain: Himachal’s apple crop feels the squeeze

In Himachal Pradesh—India’s second-largest apple producer after Jammu & Kashmir—an unusual combination of low snowfall, erratic rains, and fungal infections is threatening this year’s harvest. With early arrivals already thin in local mandis, retail prices are holding firm and could stay elevated until the larger Kashmir crop arrives in September.

The expected shortfall in Himachal’s apple crop could be anywhere between 5-10% compared to last year, according to growers. The fall in production is significant: farmer margins may be squeezed due to reduced output and potentially higher per-unit input costs. Consumers, on the other hand, could face prolonged high prices due to a supply-demand gap.

At present, Himachal apples are retailing at ₹50–250 per kg depending on variety and quality. The upper end of the price band may ease once the harvest peaks later in the season.

A smaller harvest looms in Himachal

Apple production in Himachal, which accounts for 37% of India’s output, is expected to fall below last year’s levels, according to state officials and scientists.

“This season, as per the preliminary estimates the apple production in the state would be lower than the last year. The lack of snowfall in winters is one of the major reasons behind decline in yield,” said a scientist from Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry at Nauni in Solan district.

He added that torrential rains have further damaged the crop in some areas, where orchards were hit by Alternaria—a fungal infection that causes premature fruit drop and may lead to yield losses. The extent of damage is still being assessed.

The university has been tasked by the Himachal Pradesh government to assess the damage caused by the fungal infection. Alternaria leaf spot, also known as Alternaria blotch, primarily damages the leaves of apple trees, leading to premature defoliation and fruit loss, the scientist said.

A warmer-than-usual winter with little or no snowfall disrupted the growth cycle in many orchards. Snow is essential for replenishing soil moisture and suppressing pests and pathogens. This year, its absence triggered early bud break and flowering, resulting in poor fruit setting, weaker quality and lower yield.

According to Himachal’s horticulture department, total apple production in 2024-25 stood at 502,000 tonnes. This year’s output was initially estimated at 630,000 tonnes as of 5 July, based on preliminary field data. However, a senior official in the department told Mint that recent reports of monsoon damage and fungal infections could drag the final figure below last year’s levels.

“This is our preliminary estimates and the final production data will be compiled after the completion of harvest season in October. However, going by the reports in the last 10 days, it seems that it would be lower than the last year as monsoon rains and fungal attacks has damaged the crop,” the official said.

Market headwinds rise

The early crop has started to enter a few mandis, but in smaller volumes than usual. “The prices likely to be firm as we are anticipating lesser production this year as compared to last year. The crop has just started coming in few of the mandis in lesser volume. It all depends on how the season progresses and on imports. We anticipate that there will be lesser imports from Turkey this year amid people resentment against Turkey growing,” said Harish Chauhan, an apple grower and the convener of the Kisan Sanyukt Manch.

Public resentment against Turkey has grown in India following Operation Sindoor, with calls to boycott Turkish apples due to Turkey’s perceived support for Pakistan. The backlash is being driven by both public sentiment and concerns from local growers over cheaper imports.

In 2023-24, India imported 160,000 tonnes of apples from Turkey. Imports have also been rising from Iran and the US. For 2024–25, India’s total apple production is estimated at 2.55 million tonnes, a 6% increase from the previous year.

On the export front, India shipped 22,338 tonnes of fresh apples in 2023. Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan are the key markets, followed by the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait.

Apple farming has long been the economic backbone of Himachal Pradesh. The fruit accounts for 80% of the state’s horticultural output, with around 200,000 of its 615,000 hectares of cultivated land under fruit orchards—more than half of which is devoted to apples. The size of Himachal apple Industry is around ₹5000 crore.

But growers have faced growing headwinds in recent years. Unpredictable weather, ageing and low-yield orchards, traditional cultivation methods, and poor irrigation infrastructure have all hurt productivity. Meanwhile, changing consumer preferences—driven by a growing appetite for imported apple varieties—have made it harder for smallholders to stay profitable, locking many into repeated cycles of loss.