Kangra farmer scripts success story in apple cultivation
Two years ago when Covid outbreak and subsequent lockdown crippled the economy in the country, Kangra’s Puran Chand, like many others, was staring at a bleak future as his transportation business was shut.
However, an experiment he had done by switching from traditional farming to cash crop helped him sustain his family. In fact, the pandemic turned out to be a turning point for him as he decided to go into farming fulltime.
Today, with his sheer hard work, Chand has carved a niche for himself in apple farming, particularly the low-chill varieties, and reaping a rich harvest.
“I got to know about low chilling varieties of apple and after a lot of research and consultations with farmers, planted 40 saplings in my farm,” said Chand.
The sample crop in 2019 was good but transport was still his primary occupation. He owned three cabs which were attached with private schools.
He said the scheme launched by the Himachal government to provide subsidy for construction of water tank and developing farm land were of great help while officials of the horticulture department provided technical know-how on apple farming. Besides, there was up to 80% subsidy on anti-hail nets.
In a shot span, his income has multiplied manifold. “In 2020, I had sold apple worth ₹80,000 and in 2021 the sales shot up to ₹1.5 lakh,” said Chand, who claimed that he doesn’t use chemical fertilisers or spray in his garden, but organic fertilisers made from pulses, kitchen waste, oil seeds, cow urine and dung.
Since his crop hit the market early, he fetched a price of between ₹100 to ₹150/kg. The produce from traditional apple growing areas of Shimla, Mandi and Kullu start arriving in the market in mid-July while the low-chill variety Chand grows comes in early June.
Kangra deputy director of horticulture Kamalsheel Negi said the land in Himachal is more suitable for horticultural crops than the agricultural ones.
“People in the low hills should take inspiration from Chand and switch to horticulture as it could raise their income by eight to ten times,” he said.
Negi said that apple orchards were set up in Kangra only a few years ago, mostly in Baijnath, Shahpur and Dharamsala development blocks and the area was steadily rising.