The Roads breached at several places in Chopal apple belt, Manali cut off. Fruits on the verge of rotting as PWD or SDMs, BROs not deploying machines to clear the links roads, forest roads to mitigate imminent disaster for farmers.
SHIMLA: Apple markets in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir are entering the season on a hopeful note, with farmers expecting better returns after years of fluctuating prices.
As the arrival of fruit to Mandis has slumped due to the snapping of the link roads and state and even highway triggered by the rains.
The apple and vegetable trucks have got stranded on the Kullu Mandi highway and several links roads breached by the landslides increasing the miseries and losses of traders and farmers.
Several routes are closed in Chopal subdivision. The link roads between Shilgrahan and Pabaas are breached that pose danger of rotting of fruit on road or face dropping. So is plight of farmers on Bamta, Maumbi, Sangroli and other villages.
There are no JCBs available and PWD is missing on the road. The farmers ate forced to clear the road or fill portholes by themselves.
A mix of local and global factors—reduced crop at higher altitudes, rising tariffs on American apples, and restricted imports from Turkey and Iran due to Operation Sindoor—are aligning in favour of domestic growers.
Corporate Signals
Adani Agri Fresh Ltd, one of the largest corporate buyers, has already raised its procurement price by 12.5 percent.
The company’s opening rate for premium apples now stands at ₹90 per kg, up from last year’s ₹80.
The revision came after growers voiced discontent over initial low rates—concerns amplified when HimbuMail reported them.
Still, private buyers in Guma are offering even higher, at ₹95 per kg for premium fruit, underlining the competitive mood in the market.
“Corporate players can’t ignore the ground reality. Farmers know their fruit is in demand this year, and they will walk to those offering the best deal,” said farmers.
Farmer Expectations
For orchardists, this is more than just a rate revision—it is a lifeline.
“Last year was a struggle with rising input costs. If this season sustains at ₹90–95, it will give us some breathing space,” said Dinesh Banchaik , an apple grower from Shilgrahan Shantha in Chopal in upper Shimla.
Farmers in Kullu and Kinnaur echo similar optimism, pointing out that lower yields at higher elevations mean quality fruit will be limited and hence command higher prices.
Market Dynamics
Himachal Pradesh has nearly 1 lakh hectares under apple cultivation, making it the state’s dominant horticultural crop.
Together with J&K, the two states produce over 90 percent of India’s apples.
Any shift in procurement rates or import flows has a direct bearing on rural economies.
With India imposing steep tariffs on US apples and curbs on fruit from Turkey and Iran, traders say domestic fruit is set to dominate the market.
“Import pressure is unlikely to hurt this season. For once, the farmer may dictate the price curve, not foreign shipments,” said Arhtiyas, who tracks apple markets closely.
Economic Stakes
Apple contributes more than ₹5,500 crore annually to Himachal’s economy, employing lakhs in cultivation, packaging, and transportation.
Even a small upward swing in procurement rates translates into massive gains for rural households.
The buoyant outlook, if it holds through September, could soften rural distress and inject much-needed liquidity into hill economies.