IMD's weather forecast brings hope to apple, pear and plum farmers in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh

NEW DELHI: The cold weather may have got most people shivering in the north but some farmers can’t get enough of it.
After one to two spells of rain in the higher and lower reaches, apple, pear, plum, peaches, apricot and cherry growers are hoping for more snow in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast snow and rain in Jammu and Kashmir in the next 24 hours. In the higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh, there has been isolated snowfall. “Snowfall has definitely brought cheer to apple growers. We expect snowfall from December 27 to 29 as per information conveyed by the met department,” said Ravinder Chauhan, president of the Himachal Pradesh-based Apple Growers Association of India and a farmer himself.

Chauhan said snow was “white manure”, excellent for apples and the horticulture sector. “The cold weather gives the crop the minimum required chilling hours, which prevents shedding of leaves, also kills pests and is required for temperate fruit growing. The snow also helps the manure-compost to set well,” he said.

In the previous year, snowfall had covered the lower reaches (below 6,000 feet) by January across Shimla and Kufri in Himachal Pradesh, said Chauhan.

“The nine inches of snowfall across the ranges, compared to the previous year when only rainfall took place, is a relief for the farmers. We are praying for more rain and snow,” he said.

Farmers said that with the required moisture, the trees would be able to absorb the nutrient deposit, which ensures good flowering, leading to bumper production.

In the largest apple-producing state, Jammu and Kashmir, farmers in the higher reaches of Gurez, Drass, Gulmarg, Sonmarg have received light snowfall.

Abdul Ahad Rather, a farmer in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, said snowfall is expected in January.

“Snowfall is beneficial for tourism and trees in the higher reaches. However, it has yet to snow in the lower reaches, where night temperature goes to minus 5 degrees Celsius,” he said.

Apart from the state-owned Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (HPMC), bulk buyers include Gujarat-based Adani Enterprises, which has a total capacity of 18,000 tonnes, Container Corporation of India or Concor (12,000 tonnes) and Dev Bhumi Cold Chain (5,000 tonnes).

“Early, heavy snowfall this season is very good for the apple crop. We hope the weather remains the same in January,” said Shrinivas Ramanujam, vice president, Adani Agrifresh Ltd, which sells apples under the Farm Pick brand.

In the next 24 hours, very dense fog with visibility ranging from 50 to 200 metres is expected in Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, IMD said.

Cold daytime conditions will prevail at a few places in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Ground frost will occur in some areas in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, north Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.