Dry Spell, Early Apple Budding and Forest Fires Alarm Himachal’s Apple Belt
Shimla, March 11: Even as the India Meteorological Department has forecast thunderstorms and isolated hailstorms in Chamba, Kangra, Lahaul-Spiti region in the coming days, a prolonged dry spell lasting more than a month has pushed the state’s apple belt into a worrying situation, leaving orchardists anxious ahead of the crucial blooming season.
Barring two brief spells of snowfall during the last week of January, most parts of the apple-growing regions of the state have witnessed virtually no precipitation for over four weeks, resulting in a sharp depletion of soil moisture.
Continuous exposure to strong sunrays and prolonged drought-like conditions has dried out orchard soils, creating a serious challenge for growers preparing their orchards for the upcoming apple bloom.
Apple growers say the fertilizers applied in orchards for pre-bloom nutrition have not properly mixed with the soil due to the lack of moisture, reducing their effectiveness.
This has put farmers in a difficult position as the nutrition cycle of the trees is closely linked with adequate soil moisture before the bloom period.
Adding to the concern is an unusual advancement in the phenological stages of apple trees.
Orchardists report that green tips have already started appearing in several orchards, even in higher altitude areas above 8,000 feet.
Traditionally, the silver tip or green tip stage in apple orchards begins after March 20, but this year the process has arrived nearly ten days earlier, leaving farmers baffled.
Experts warn that early bud development combined with poor soil moisture could turn the upcoming bloom period into a gamble for orchardists, as inadequate nutrients during this stage may affect flowering, fruit set and ultimately the yield.
The situation has been aggravated by widespread forest fires across the apple belt over the past fortnight.
Thick smoke and dry vegetation can be seen across several orchard regions, turning the hills hazy and further drying the fragile ecosystem.
Such large-scale forest fires are usually witnessed during the peak dry months of April and May, but this year they have already begun in the first week of March, raising serious environmental concerns.
While the IMD expects isolated thunderstorms and possible hailstorms due to an approaching western disturbance, orchardists say only substantial rainfall or snowfall can revive soil moisture and stabilise orchard conditions.
With the bloom season barely weeks away, apple farmers across the high-altitude belts of Shimla, Parts of Mandi, Kinnaur, Kullu and adjoining regions are now anxiously watching the skies, hoping the changing weather pattern brings the much-needed moisture before the orchards enter their most critical stage of the season.
