Apple production in Himachal Pradesh has dropped sharply this season, with growers reporting losses of at least 50 per cent due to unfavourable weather conditions, fungal disease outbreaks and poor road connectivity. The combined impact has badly hit both yield and trade, leaving thousands of orchardists under financial stress.
After torrential rainfall during the monsoon, the hill state witnessed a prolonged dry spell, creating ideal conditions for fungal infections in apple orchards. Farmers say Alternaria leaf spot disease spread rapidly, damaging leaves, causing early defoliation and affecting fruit quality. As a result, apples were smaller in size, poorly coloured and less appealing for markets.
The situation worsened due to damaged roads caused by heavy rains, which disrupted transportation from orchards to mandis. In several areas, harvested apples could not be moved in time and were forced to be discarded, further increasing losses for growers.
Himachal Pradesh produces around 5.5 lakh metric tonnes of apples annually, generating nearly Rs 4,500 crore in revenue. Apples account for almost 80 per cent of the state’s total fruit production and support more than 2.5 lakh farmers, besides creating about 10 lakh days of employment each year.
Harish Chauhan, a leading apple grower and convener of the Kisan Samyukt Manch, said that nearly half the apple trees in most orchards were affected by fungal infection this season. He explained that the disease primarily attacks leaves, weakening the trees and leading to poor fruit development. Chauhan also pointed out that damaged road networks made it impossible for many farmers to transport produce to markets.
Around 30 per cent of the culled apples were procured under the state government’s Market Intervention Scheme at Rs 12 per kilogram. However, market prices crashed sharply. A box of apples weighing 22 to 24 kilograms, which usually sells for around Rs 2,500, fetched only Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 this year. This meant apples that earlier sold for Rs 100 per kg were sold at Rs 40 to Rs 60.
Growers are now pinning hopes on relief measures in the upcoming Union Budget. Chauhan said farmers are demanding higher import duties on foreign apples, a minimum support price for apples, and subsidies on fertilisers and pesticides to offset rising input costs.
Production data shared by growers shows a long-term decline in apple output due to climate change. While 5.50 crore boxes were produced in 2010, output has fluctuated and generally declined over the years, falling to around 2.51 crore boxes in 2024–25. This year, only 2.74 crore boxes were produced, with nearly 98,000 metric tonnes diverted to the Market Intervention Scheme.
Another major concern for growers is the lack of snowfall. Chauhan warned that insufficient snow during January and February could negatively affect the next crop cycle, as apple trees require prolonged cold conditions for proper flowering and fruiting. Snow also acts as a natural source of moisture for orchards.
Apple growers in districts such as Kullu, Kinnaur, Shimla, Mandi and Chamba were among the worst affected due to disrupted market connectivity. State Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi said that while a record quantity of apples was procured under the Market Intervention Scheme in 2025, nearly 30,000 metric tonnes had to be destroyed because the Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation could not lift the fruit in time due to broken roads. The destruction order was issued after the stock began rotting along roadsides.
Earlier this week, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu raised the issue with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, urging the Centre to include apples under a ‘special category’ to protect domestic growers from international competition. He demanded an immediate ban on apple imports during the peak production season from July to November and a 100 per cent import duty during the off-season to prevent foreign dumping.
The chief minister also expressed concern over rising apple imports from New Zealand under free trade agreements. He said imports have increased nearly two-and-a-half times over the past decade, and duty concessions during the April to August window have severely impacted prices for Himachal apples stored in cold storage, damaging off-season trade for local farmers.