Persistent heavy rains for the last month have damaged the apple crop in Himachal Pradesh and the vegetable production in Punjab.
According to Baldev Singh, director, horticulture, Punjab, damages to the vegetable production could be around 20-25%. Crops that have been damaged include tomato, pumpkin, chilies, bitter gourd, and ladyfinger. All these vegetables were grown in Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Patiala, Ropar, Mohali, Sangrur and Kapurthala, Amritsar and Hoshiarpur. Punjab grows vegetables over an area of 1.77 lakh hectares and it has an annual vegetable production of 30 lakh tonne. Being cash crops, vegetables provide farmers with money between the wheat and rice rotation.
In Himachal according to Himachal Pradesh Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (HPFVGA), about 50% of the apple crop has been damaged in Kotkhai, Jubbal, Rohru, Chopal, Rampur and the adjoining Kullu areas.
SP Katyal, general secretary of HPFVGA, told FE that the, ?economy of the farmers has been shattered because after putting in so much effort they will not get anything in return.?