Dry Fruit Production In Kinnaur Declines Amid Rising Apple Farming

Traditional produce from Kinnaur such as dry fruits and organic products, which were once a major attraction at the Lavi Fair held here, are gradually losing ground to apples, the farmers from the region have claimed. The production of traditional Kinnauri products has been declining as more people are shifting to cultivate new varieties of apples, said dry fruit sellers who continue to sell their goods in Rampur even after the fair has ended. Atul Negi from Leo village in Kinnaur, who has been bringing his produce to the fair for many years, noted that in the past, he would bring 12-15 quintals of apricots and three to four quintals of almonds.
However, this year, he brought only one quintal of apricots and 30 kg of almonds. "Due to the drop in production, prices are rising, and producers are facing losses," he said. Kinnauri dry fruits like almonds, apricots, chilgoza, raj mash, peas, kala jeera, and shilajit were available at the fair, but in much smaller quantities compared to previous years. The high prices made them unaffordable for many, and most people were unable to purchase these items.
Yashwant Singh, a farmer from Rispa village, shared that he had been bringing dry fruits and organic products to the fair for the past four to five years. However, this year, he noticed a lack of market enthusiasm, with fewer customers showing interest in his goods. More and more people are now planting apples on their vacant land, he added. Horticulture experts suggest that dry fruit production requires more labour and has a higher cost of production, while new apple varieties are fast-growing, yielding good results. As a result, the area dedicated to dry fruits is shrinking.
Dr. Ashwani Kumar, an expert from the horticulture department, explained on Tuesday that newly imported apple varieties have a better yield and start bearing fruit within four to five years, offering growers quicker returns. "Farmers are increasingly moving away from traditional produce, with many switching to apple cultivation each year," he said. Dr. Rajesh Jaiswal, a subject specialist from the Agriculture Department, said efforts are underway to encourage the cultivation of traditional produce by offering subsidies to farmers. He emphasised that these products have high nutritional and medicinal value, which is highly beneficial for health.