Apple production in Uttarakhand’s Ramgarh–Mukteshwar belt is threatened by a complex web of risks. Farmers and experts highlight inadequate winter chilling, reduced pollinator habitats, increased pests, wildlife attacks, and extreme weather events as key challenges.
Insufficient winter chilling, characterized by temperatures below 7 degrees Celsius, disrupts apple tree dormancy, affecting fruit quality and increasing susceptibility to diseases. Shrinking forest patches weaken pollinator movement, while uncoordinated chemical use further endangers pollinators. Beyond ecological factors, farmers face losses from wildlife and extreme weather, with limited compensation mechanisms.
Market access is another significant hurdle, as the lack of local storage and processing facilities forces farmers to rely on intermediaries, weakening their bargaining power. Furthermore, younger generations are moving away from agriculture, leading to a decline in orchard management knowledge. Experts suggest that policy failures, alongside climate change, contribute to the decline, calling for integrated, landscape-level strategies to address these interconnected risks.
Source: Down To Earth