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and Spitti. The average land use per farm in Lahual and Spitti showed
more than 2% shift towards apple cultivation but it showed reverse trend
in other apple growing regions. The income of the farmers increased more
than 10% in Lahual and Spitti whereas it showed a decrease of more than
27% in Kullu and Shimla districts from fruits in recent decade compared
to 1995. The secondary data on area under apple cultivation also com-
pounded statement that apple cultivation is expanding in Lahaul and Spitti
in recent decade (Singh et al., 2005).
In Uttarakhand the area under apple cultivation has drastically been
reduced. It might be due to less rainfall and higher temperature in winter. It
is causing major problem of chilling requirement, which is very important
to meet for higher and quality production of apple.
TABLE 3.1
Changes in Temperature and Precipitation vis-a-vis Apple Acreage in
Himalayan States During 1980-2010
State
Period
Avg.
Annual
Temp.
(
°
C)
Rise in
Tempera-
ture (
°
C)
(1980-
2008)
Precipi-
tation
(mm)
Area
(ha)
Approx.
new area
covered
under
higher
elevations
J & K
Ladakh
1980-85
1986-90
1991-95
1996-2000
2001-2005
2006-2008
2001-2002
2009-2010
13.01
13.58
13.12
13.91
14.46
13.32
-
-
726
817
784
585
682
763
Reduced
(1973-
2008)
63.09
66.85
71.33
82.18
96.34
138.19
0.609
0.836
-
-
-
6510
8496
25,110
-
227
1.45-2.32
0.5-1
(S) (W)
Uttara-
khand
1980-85
1986-90
1991-95
1996-2000
2001-2005
2006-2009
12.40
11.45
13.69
13.90
13.84
13.91
1394
1430
1104
1067
935
1245
-
-
52.70
51.80
55.98
31.66
-
-
-
-
4180
−24,320
1.51
