Missing snow, too much rain: HP apple crop feels the squeeze

A missing winter and a punishing monsoon are biting into India's beloved apples.

- Vijay C. Roy

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.