{"id":60092972,"date":"2025-08-08T03:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-08T02:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/?post_type=video&p=60092972"},"modified":"2025-08-06T14:12:44","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T13:12:44","slug":"the-disappearing-apples-of-himachal-pradesh","status":"publish","type":"video","link":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/climate\/the-disappearing-apples-of-himachal-pradesh\/","title":{"rendered":"The disappearing apples of Himachal Pradesh"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As summer reaches its height in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, the apple orchards around Shirar village are bursting with life. Yet despite this seasonal revival, local farmers are anxious. Another winter of low snowfall<\/a> and unusually warm temperatures has cast doubt over the upcoming harvest, and many fear another year of disappointing yields.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apples are a cornerstone of Himachal Pradesh\u2019s rural economy. The fruit\u2019s orchards cover half the land used for horticulture, with apples accounting for nearly 84% of total fruit production<\/a> by weight, according to the state\u2019s latest economic survey. The sector is worth over INR 50 billion<\/a> (USD 570 million), and approximately 250,000 families depend<\/a> on the crop, directly or indirectly, for their livelihoods. But production has fallen sharply over the past decade, from a high of just over 777,000 metric tonnes in 2015<\/a> to nearly 507,000 tonnes in 2023. This downward trend continued last year, with the state reporting a harvest of just 497,000 tonnes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Farmers and agricultural experts alike point to climate change as one of the main causes of this decline. Decreased snowfall over the winter months has impacted<\/a> year-round water availability, while rising temperatures are affecting the critical \u201cchilling hours<\/a>\u201d apple trees require. Such periods of cold \u2013 usually defined as hours spent below 7C \u2013 are essential for healthy bud formation and fruit development. Traditional varieties, including those grown around Shirar like red delicious<\/a>, need up to 1,400 chilling hours per season<\/a>. In recent years, winters have failed<\/a> to deliver those hours, impacting yields as well as the quality of the crop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lack of snow and warmer temperatures are also increasing the prevalence of pests and fungal diseases, such as apple scab<\/a>. Farmers are having to use more pesticides and chemical fertilisers in response, driving up costs just as their sales are decreasing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Erratic and extreme weather add to the strain. Hailstorms, now an annual occurrence, damage blossoms and immature fruit, prompting many farmers to invest in protective netting. Heavier monsoon rains are also wreaking havoc, making it harder for farmers to transport their harvested crops to markets. Himachal Pradesh experienced a particularly devastating summer in 2023, when landslides and flash floods claimed hundreds of lives and caused over INR 100 billion<\/a> (USD 1.14 billion) worth of damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Shirar, nestled in the hills of the Kullu Valley \u2013 one of the state\u2019s main apple-producing regions \u2013 the impact of declining harvests is acutely felt. Many of the village\u2019s 360 families rely on the apple trade for a living, and most are involved in the sector in some way. When Dialogue Earth visited Shirar last harvest time, every able-bodied adult seen in the village was busy working in the orchards. Although the harvest appeared bountiful, orchard owner Shyamsunder Thakur says his yields were down approximately 50%, earning him only INR 500,000 (USD 5,698) for the season \u2013 half his typical earnings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To help, there are various schemes and subsidies from both the state<\/a> and central<\/a> governments, but farmers in Shirar say they make very little difference. Instead, they are trying to adapt. Some, like Thakur, are experimenting with newer apple varieties that require fewer chilling hours. Others are switching to alternative fruits like plums and persimmons. But few are optimistic, and many say they are discouraging their children from following in their footsteps. They can see apple orchards disappearing from nearby villages, and fear this may soon be Shirar\u2019s fate too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Production credits:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Director and editor: Kabir Naik, Sunny Side South<\/a>
Local fixer: Hari Thakur
Assistant cinematographer: Lalit Jorwal<\/p>\n\n\n\n