Thaindian News

Shimla, Nov 11 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh has invited investments in the private sector to develop apple production, the mainstay of the state’s fruit economy, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said Friday.

“We would welcome investments in the private sector for developing apple nurseries to multiply imported rootstock to increase its yield,” Dhumal told officials of Dev Bhumi Cold Chain Ltd.

He said the government was also keen to associate private sector in creating quality cold chain infrastructure to store apples.

Dhumal said per hectare yield of apple in the state ranged between five to seven metric tonnes (MT) compared to 50 to 60 MT in European countries.

“The state is implementing apple re-plantation scheme at a cost of Rs.85 crore to replace the old rootstock with high-yielding varieties,” he said.

Dev Bhumi chairman and managing director Sanjay Aggarwal said the company is planning to invest Rs.100 crore in creation of cold chains and apple nurseries in the state.

Himachal Pradesh is one of India’s major apple-producing regions, with more than 200,000 families engaged in the cultivation of the fruit.

Due to unfavourable weather, the total output of apples this year was around 1.40 crore boxes of 20 kg each, 69 percent less than last year’s bumper production of 4.46 crore boxes.

The previous record yield of 2.6 crore boxes was in 2007 which slipped to 1.4 crore boxes in 2009.

In 1999, the state recorded a production of 98 lakh crates, the lowest in the past 12 years.

Besides apples, fruits like cherries, pears, peaches, apricots, kiwi, strawberry, olives, almonds and plums are the major commercial crops of the state. Their production also dipped due to hostile weather.