High cost of Indian and imported Apples have limited the consumption of this fruit to the higher income group.US apple accounted for the largest Indian market share, but started facing competition from the high quality and low cost Chinese apples. Although India has high (50%) tariff on imported apples. Indian domestic growers appear not to have been damaged by the entry of relatively high priced and high quality imports, nor they exploited the opportunity to boost earning by improving quality ,and increasing yield to compete with imported apples
India’s per capita apple consumption of about 1.35 kg per year is low relative to other major apple producing countries. Simply because apple is the relatively highest –priced fruit in India. Turkey has the highest 36.8 kg,France 16.2 ,China 14Kg,US 9 .7Kg .
Indian apple production averaged nearly 1.4 million tons during 2002-2004, making it the sixth largest apple producer in the world, while its average yield, about 5.5 metric tons per hectare, is the lowest of the major world producers. Production is concentrated in a few regions of northern India where the climate suits production of temperate zone crops, such as apples.
India’s per capita apple consumption of about 1.35 kg per year is low relative to other major apple producing countries. Simply because apple is the relatively highest –priced fruit in India. Turkey has the highest 36.8 kg,France 16.2 ,China 14Kg,US 9 .7Kg .
Indian apple production averaged nearly 1.4 million tons during 2002-2004, making it the sixth largest apple producer in the world, while its average yield, about 5.5 metric tons per hectare, is the lowest of the major world producers. Production is concentrated in a few regions of northern India where the climate suits production of temperate zone crops, such as apples.
Annual growth rate of India’s area, production, and per hectare yield of apples have been decelerating since the 1970s. Although harvested area has expended since 1990, declining average yield have slowed annual production growth to about 1.6 percent. Output growth has been slower than that of several major world producers, most notably China and Chile, but it has been near the average for the major world producers and significantly stronger than in the United States, France and Italy.
Most apple orchards in India are 30 years old or older and are characterised by declining yield and lack of fruit uniformity in terms of shape, size, and colour . The low productivity and poor quality of apples is linked to monoculture of a few old cultivars and that have degenerated over the years. For example, in Himachal Pradesh , only a few old cultivars, such as Royal Delicious and Rich Red account for most apple area.
Farmers are increasingly concerned about problems with apple scab disease, out break of premature leaf fall and infestation of red spider mite On these varieties, Although more than 700 accessions of apples introduced from abroad have been tried and tested during last 50 years, the delicious group of cultivar still accounts for 83 percent of production in Himachal Pradesh and more than 45 percent in Jammu and Kashmir.
Many Factors for low apple yields
Non availability and awareness of clonal rootstocks and advanced apple varieties in the state.
Poor extension services by the state horticulture departments for the promotion of technology up gradation, adoption of clonal rootstocks. Non availability of Horticulture officials towards High Density plantation.
82 % grower of Himachal Pradesh grow apples as supplementary crop. So their main concern is with the other conventional crops. Thus many farmers keep best land for conventional crops, to secure their living.
Awareness among the farmers in regards to the advance technique of apple farming , like high density apple plantation on clonal rootstocks.
Erratic moisture and poor water use efficiency: India’s monsoon climate provides highly seasonal and erratic rainfall in apple producing areas. The mountainous conditions reduce the efficiency with which available moisture is used by the crop.
Low use of organic fertilisers: typically used below recommended levels and due to use of old convention seedling rootstock the nutrient uptake is also low, also because of the terrain . However this uptake in clonal rootstock is very high.
Weather: weather conditions, such as spring frost and hailstorms, reduce productivity.
Technology: As mentioned such as use of clonal rootstocks, renewal pruning technique, and micro nutrient application. At present these technologies are not being adopted by the growers, still apple is being grown with traditional way.
Use of fertilizers: generally growers do not use fertilizers and micro nutrients according to the need of soil, plant, but some farmers also use excessive use of these fertilisers.
Farmers are least concerned about the soil health and ,rarely, few people go for soil analyses test.
Changing climate is also challenging the apple production adversely . The need is awareness, planning and adoption of the appropriate technology like selection of rootstock, variety, advanced pruning techniques knowledge of nutrients requirements of growing and fruit giving plants and above all the soil analyses.
More than 60 % of India’s total Income is shared by only 40 % of population But, even if we assume that apple is confined to this 40 % high income group, per capita consumption of 3.5 Kg is still low in comparisons with other major producing countries. We have enormous market potential available for Apples, but only thing is , increase production by increase in growing area or increasing our yield by adopting scientific way of cultivation. Till date the cost of production of apple is 1/12 of cost of production in USA. We have only three major desease ( insect threat or Fungus attacks) against Seven threats for apple growers in United States.
Most apple orchards in India are 30 years old or older and are characterised by declining yield and lack of fruit uniformity in terms of shape, size, and colour . The low productivity and poor quality of apples is linked to monoculture of a few old cultivars and that have degenerated over the years. For example, in Himachal Pradesh , only a few old cultivars, such as Royal Delicious and Rich Red account for most apple area.
Farmers are increasingly concerned about problems with apple scab disease, out break of premature leaf fall and infestation of red spider mite On these varieties, Although more than 700 accessions of apples introduced from abroad have been tried and tested during last 50 years, the delicious group of cultivar still accounts for 83 percent of production in Himachal Pradesh and more than 45 percent in Jammu and Kashmir.
Many Factors for low apple yields
Non availability and awareness of clonal rootstocks and advanced apple varieties in the state.
Poor extension services by the state horticulture departments for the promotion of technology up gradation, adoption of clonal rootstocks. Non availability of Horticulture officials towards High Density plantation.
82 % grower of Himachal Pradesh grow apples as supplementary crop. So their main concern is with the other conventional crops. Thus many farmers keep best land for conventional crops, to secure their living.
Awareness among the farmers in regards to the advance technique of apple farming , like high density apple plantation on clonal rootstocks.
Erratic moisture and poor water use efficiency: India’s monsoon climate provides highly seasonal and erratic rainfall in apple producing areas. The mountainous conditions reduce the efficiency with which available moisture is used by the crop.
Low use of organic fertilisers: typically used below recommended levels and due to use of old convention seedling rootstock the nutrient uptake is also low, also because of the terrain . However this uptake in clonal rootstock is very high.
Weather: weather conditions, such as spring frost and hailstorms, reduce productivity.
Technology: As mentioned such as use of clonal rootstocks, renewal pruning technique, and micro nutrient application. At present these technologies are not being adopted by the growers, still apple is being grown with traditional way.
Use of fertilizers: generally growers do not use fertilizers and micro nutrients according to the need of soil, plant, but some farmers also use excessive use of these fertilisers.
Farmers are least concerned about the soil health and ,rarely, few people go for soil analyses test.
Changing climate is also challenging the apple production adversely . The need is awareness, planning and adoption of the appropriate technology like selection of rootstock, variety, advanced pruning techniques knowledge of nutrients requirements of growing and fruit giving plants and above all the soil analyses.
More than 60 % of India’s total Income is shared by only 40 % of population But, even if we assume that apple is confined to this 40 % high income group, per capita consumption of 3.5 Kg is still low in comparisons with other major producing countries. We have enormous market potential available for Apples, but only thing is , increase production by increase in growing area or increasing our yield by adopting scientific way of cultivation. Till date the cost of production of apple is 1/12 of cost of production in USA. We have only three major desease ( insect threat or Fungus attacks) against Seven threats for apple growers in United States.
Source :-Economic survey, Govt. of India, National Horticulture board, FAOSTAT(Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.) and study done by Satish Dhar, Associate professor at the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad , India . Maurice Landes and Berry Krissoff , senior economist, USDA Economic Research Service
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