Unusual Himachal weather cuts apple output hikes Kashmiri apple prices
India
Unusual weather in Himachal Pradesh has caused a big drop in apple production, pushing up prices for Kashmiri apples by about 35%.
Now selling at ₹1,500 to ₹2,500 per box, these apples are in high demand, with traders from Delhi, Maharashtra, and Punjab heading straight to Kashmir to buy them.
Himachal government procurement plunges to 13,202t
Himachal managed just 1.3 crore apple boxes this year, way down from more than 2.25 crore boxes by this time last year, which has left major processing units like Parwanoo mostly idle.
The state's usual ₹5,000 crore horticulture earnings have taken a hit too.
Even government-backed apple procurement dropped sharply: only 13,202 metric tons bought this year versus 79,000 last season.