Shimla, March 6: The vital apple economy of Himachal Pradesh is facing a significant challenge as shifting weather patterns and warmer winters disrupt the biological requirements of temperate fruit crops. Scientists have warned that the state’s Rs 5,000-crore horticultural sector could suffer long-term damage if climate-resilient strategies are not urgently adopted.
Researchers from Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, stated that the essential “chilling hours”—the time temperatures remain below 7°C—are steadily decreasing. These hours are critical for apple trees to break their winter dormancy, ensuring uniform flowering and healthy fruit development in the spring. Most varieties grown in the state’s mid-hills require between 500 and 1,000 such hours to remain productive.
A comparative study conducted over the last two winter seasons, 2024-25 and 2025-26, revealed a consistent warming trend between December and February. Experts affirmed that even stone fruits like peaches and plums, which require fewer chilling hours, are beginning to show signs of stress. The decline in winter chill, coupled with erratic rainfall, has prompted calls for a shift toward varieties that can thrive in higher temperatures.
The agricultural community maintained that without intervention, the quality and quantity of the harvest may continue to fluctuate. Scientists declared that the objective now is to develop and distribute low-chill apple varieties to protect the livelihoods of thousands of farmers. They asserted that the current biological cycle of these crops is no longer in sync with the changing environment.
