It’s snowing good news for apple

Late snow and rain might bring down temperatures just enough for the right harvest chill

There’s good news for Himachal’s apple, even if a little late in the day. The moderate to heavy snowfall coupled with widespread rains in upper and lower parts over the past week has brought respite to deciduous fruit farmers, reeling under drought like conditions since September. Apple might just be a bumper yield this time around.

The fresh spell of snowfall in the upper parts, including Shimla, Kullu and parts of Mandi, Chamba, Solan and Sirmaur, would besides moderating the diurnal temperature, help meet the needed chilling requirements in apple, cherry, pear and peach orchards. Current showers also mean better prospects for the Rabi harvest, including wheat, gram, barley, mustard and other traditional crops in rain-fed areas.

The last rain in the region was recorded at 1.1 mm in November last year while the region received only 86 mm rain between September and January. During this week, the state recorded 100 centimetre snowfall and 34.6 mm rain. The relative humidity has shot up to 99 per cent after the fresh spell of snow and rain.

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“The rains and snowfall would certainly help in meeting the chilling and soil moisture requirements in apple orchards and hopefully lessen the chances of early flowering in apple growing belts of the states,” said Dr Jagmohan Singh, vice-chancellor of Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry Nauni. Singh says a bumper apple crop could be hoped for, provided the rain and snow continued till the end of March. For a bumper crop, apple, pear, cherry, plum, apricot and peach fruit plants need a dormant period for development and an exposure of at least 600 to 1,400-hour chilling at a minimum of seven degree celsius. The rains and snowfall not only help stop premature blooming in deciduous fruit orchards but also fulfil the requirement of relative humidity factor and natural irrigation system.

“Although drought-like conditions over the past four months have already destroyed 30 to 35 per cent of the rabi crop in rain-fed and 20 to 25 per cent in irrigated areas, current showers would, besides moderating the soil temperature in lower region, affect tilling of late varieties of wheat, barley and mustard,” said deputy director of Agriculture RK Servy. The current rain would ultimately be helpful for all rabi crops, especially leafy vegetables, he said.