Apple Industry Faces Challenges in Himachal Pradesh Amid Climate Pressures Impacting Rs 5,000 Crore Economy
Himachal Pradesh’s apple economy, valued at ₹5,000 crore, is facing a significant downturn this year due to adverse climate conditions. Unseasonal rains, hailstorms, and erratic weather patterns are expected to reduce apple production by nearly 40%. In 2025, the state’s apple output was recorded at 6.99 lakh metric tonnes, but projections for 2026 estimate a decline to approximately 4.36 lakh metric tonnes, a drop of 2.63 lakh metric tonnes or nearly 2.15 crore boxes.
Climate Shock Hits Apple Output
The horticulture department attributes this decline to a combination of insufficient winter snowfall, untimely spring rains, hailstorms, and fluctuating temperatures. Currently, the area under apple cultivation is about 1.16 lakh hectares, which represents nearly 49% of the state’s total fruit crop area of 2.37 lakh hectares. Director of Horticulture, Satish Kumar, confirmed that the apple production is expected to fall significantly this year, impacting around 2.5 lakh families involved in apple farming.
Growers are also contending with rising cultivation costs, driven by increased prices for medicines and machinery. Orchardist Balwant Justa noted that the lack of timely snow and rain has severely affected production. He emphasized the dependence on weather conditions due to inadequate irrigation facilities.
Fruits and Farmers Under Strain
The adverse weather has not only impacted apples but also stone fruit crops, which include apricots, cherries, peaches, and plums. The area dedicated to stone fruit cultivation spans 17,306 hectares, with production expected to decline from 24,622 metric tonnes last year to around 23,000 metric tonnes this year. Orchardist Virender Singh highlighted the challenges posed by higher temperatures, insufficient chilling hours, and increasing input costs.
According to Harish Chauhan, president of the Fruit Vegetable Flower Growers Association, traditional apple varieties require between 1,200 and 1,600 chilling hours at temperatures below 7 degrees Celsius. Orchardist Raghubeer Singh Chauhan expressed concerns over declining income and the sustainability of farming, stressing the urgent need for improved irrigation facilities and greater awareness of crop insurance schemes.
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