Dry weather affects apple farming in Kullu

KULLU, (Himachal Pradesh): The apple farming and other fruits in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district are deteriorating due to intense dry cold wave in the region.

The bad climatic change in Himalayan region due to global warming has resulted in less rain and snowfall.

The apple farmers and other fruit growers have suffered financial loss due to the dry weather.

Farmers fear if the weather remained dry for the next few days then it would severely affect the yield of apples and other fruits grown in the region.

S.S. Bhardwaj, associate director Regional Research Centre of Himachal Pradesh Horticulture University said the progressing dry season is having a severe effect on the production of fruit crops in the lower and higher regions of the province.

"Further the dry season which is progressing has created a disturbance in the sowing and growth of different crops and will also severely affect the fruit crops if this weather continues for another few days," said Bhardwaj.

The farmers have been praying for heavy snowfall, which would fulfill the chilling hours required for apple and other fruits grown in the region.

"This is a very dry season and all the fruit production has been severely affected. We pray to God that as the winter arrives there should be heavy snowfall and rainfall so that the chilling hours for the apples and other fruits and the moisture, needed in the fields, should be completed," said Dharambir Dhami, a farmer.

"This dry season is very hazardous for our crops and we pray that there should be snowfall and rainfall in our province at the earliest," he added.

The dry weather has also affected the production of other crops such as wheat as the growth of the crop is dependent on a good amount of rainfall.