HP to import apple saplings from US to boost production
SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh will import American apple varieties to boost production of the mainstay of its economy with an annual turnover of ₹4,500 crore.
The apple saplings, which will be distributed among orchardists, are being imported under the World Bank-funded Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Development Project worth ₹1,134 crore.
State horticulture director ML Dhiman says, “A team of officials is in the US to review saplings in nurseries in various states, including California, and will return on November 11. We have received a positive response. Decisions will be taken after the officials return. The apple saplings will be imported soon.”
ITALIAN APPLE PLAN SHELVED
The previous Virbhadra Singhled Congress government had decided to buy apple saplings from Italy but the move ran into rough weather as officials were accused of ordering thousands of saplings during an unfavourable season that led to them drying up before they reached the growers.
According to sources, Italian company Vitafruit Nurseries that supplied the saplings to the state had written to the government that the plants were imported when the temperature was above 40 degrees Celsius so they could not survive.
The purchase order was three months behind schedule.
Apple saplings imported from Italy were kept in a cold store in Nalagarh, Solan, but at least 25% of them dried up after which the government decided to shelve the plan.
Retired horticulture scientist SP Bhardwaj says, “In any case, US apples are superior to Italian ones as they have a longer shelf life and are genetically superior in terms of colour, shape and taste.”
Fruits Vegetables and Flower Growing Association of Himachal Pradesh president Harish Chauhan agrees and says, “This is a good initiative by the state government. US apples are far superior. The state government should consider importing apple saplings from France, New Zealand and Serbia also.”
FRUIT ECONOMY AND THE TURNAROUND
The US is the second-largest producer of apple in the world as it produces 5.2 million tonnes annually. China is the world’s largest apple producer with an annual production of 41.4 million tonnes, while India is fifth with 2.3 million tonnes.
Apple is the mainstay of the state’s fruit economy and is grown in Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Sirmaur, Kinnaur and Chamba districts.
Shimla district is the highest producer in the state with Rohru, Jubbal, Kotkhai and Kotgarh forming the applegrowing belt. In 2018, Himachal Pradesh produced 4,46,574 metric tonnes of apples.
The state government has projected the production of at least 3.7 crore boxes of apples in 2019.
American missionary Samuel Evan Stokes, later known as Satyanand Stokes, introduced the Delicious apple varieties in Himachal Pradesh 103 years ago that turned around the fruit economy in the state.
He came to India in 1902 and settled in Kotgarh Valley, 76 km from Shimla, and introduced apple growing in the region in 1916 after he found the climate conducive for the fruit.
The Royal Delicious variety was first to be grown in Kotgarh after which it was introduced in Mandi, Kullu, Kinnaur, Sirmaur and Chamba districts.
More than 450 cultivars of apples, collected from all over the world, are now grown in the state. Some of the main commercial varieties are Royal Delicious, Rich-A-Red Delicious and Golden Delicious.