Lok Sabha Question No. 5916 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-04-03
Subject: Apple Cultivation
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: DHANANJAY BHIMRAO MAHADIK, P.R. SUNDARAM, HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT, SUPRIYA SADANAND SULE, RAJEEV SHANKARRAO SATAV, JAYAKUMAR JAYAVARDHAN, VIJAYSINH MOHITE PATIL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5916

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  3 RD  APRIL, 2018

## APPLE CULTIVATION

5916.  SHRI DHANANJAY MAHADIK: SHRI P.R. SUNDARAM: DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT: SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE: SHRI SATAV RAJEEV: DR. J. JAYAVARDHAN: SHRI MOHITE PATIL VIJAYSINH SHANKARRAO:

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE  AND  FARMERS  WELFARE      ‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं  कसान कयाण ½ãâ¨ããè be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the area under apple cultivation in the country and the rank of India in apple production in the world;
- (b) the details of the apple production in various States of the country during the last three years and the current year, State/Union Territory-wise;
- (c) whether the Government  is considering to transform and modernize  the agriculture sector which includes apple cultivation in various apple producing States of the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether apple production in the country has been greatly reduced during the last three  years  due  to  prolonged  winter,  unseasonal  rain,  snow,  if  so,  whether  the Government proposes to provide financial assistance to the affected farmers, if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the corrective steps taken by the Government to boost the production and export of apples and to prevent crop loss from pests and natural calamities and also to protect the farmers from suicides?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF  STATE IN THE  MINISTRY OF  AGRICULTURE AND  FARMERS  WELFARE

‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं  कसान  कयाण ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã  ½ãñâ  Àã·¾ã  ½ãâ¨ããè (  SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

- (a): The area under apple cultivation in the country during the year 2016-17 was 3.05 lakh hectare.

As per information available on  FAOSTAT website, India ranks fourth in  apple production in the world.

Contd…2/-

-2-

(b): Apple production in various states of the country during the last three years and the current year, State/Union Territory-wise, is given at the   Annexure-I.

(c): Several  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  transform  and  modernize  the horticulture sector, which includes apple cultivation, are  as under:

-  Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), a Centrally Sponsored  Scheme  is  being  implemented  during  XII  Plan  w.e.f.  2014-15,  for holistic  growth  of  the  horticulture  sector  covering  all  the  horticulture  crops including apple.
-  The Mission envisages production and productivity improvement of horticulture crops  including  apple  through  increased  coverage  of  area  with  improved cultivars, rejuvenation of senile orchards, protected cultivation, creation of water resources, adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Integrated Nutrient Management  (INM),  organic  farming,  including  insitu  generation  of  organic inputs.  Capacity  buildings  of  farmers  and  technicians  is  also  provided  for adopting improved technologies.

(d): Yes, Madam.  Due  to  unfavourable  weather  conditions  such  as  prolonged winter,  unseasonal  rain,  snow  in  the  states  of  Himachal  Pradesh  and  Jammu  & Kashmir, the apple production in the country has been greatly reduced during the last three  years.  In  accordance  to  the  norms  the  preliminary  damage  report  due  to unseasonal  rains is being assessed  by  the Government.  Based  on  the  final enumeration  reports  the  assistance  will  be  provided    to  the  affected  farmers    as  per SDRF norms.

(e): Government  has  taken  several  corrective  steps  to  boost  the  production  and export of apples and to prevent crop loss from pests and natural calamities and also to protect the farmers from suicides some of which are as under:-

-  To boost horticulture production including apples, Mission for Integrated Development  of  Horticulture  (MIDH),  a  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme,  is  being implemented during XII Plan w.e.f. 2014-15, for holistic growth and improvement in productivity.
-  The Mission envisages production and productivity improvement of horticulture crops  including apple  through  increased  coverage  of  area with  improved cultivars, rejuvenation of senile orchards, protected cultivation, creation of water resources etc.
-  To boost exports, Government   has launched a scheme namely 'Merchandize Exports  from  India  (MEIS)'  under  Foreign  Trade  Policy  2015-20,  wherein  the exporters/farmers  are  incentivized  for  export  of  their  goods/products  including fruits and vegetables to specified markets.

-  The phytosanitary control system for export of fresh fruits has been strengthened in India to provide assurance of pest- free exports to the European Union(EU).
-  For prevention of crop loss from pests and natural calamities, Mission encourages  and  supports  adoption  of  Integrated  Pest  Management  (IPM), Integrated Nutrient Management (INM), organic farming, including insitu generation of organic inputs.
-  To protect farmers from committing suicide Capacity buildings of farmers is being provided for  adopting  improved  technologies  thereby  helping  them  to  increase their income.
-  Providing  market  information  to  farmers  on  prices  and  arrivals  of  agricultural commodities in regulated markets on AGMARKNET portal to enable the farmers to get better remunerative prices.
-  To  minimize  post  production  losses  for  horticulture  crops  including  those  for exports, assistance is provided for development of infrastructure for post harvest management and marketing such as storages, wholesale markets, rural primary market,  Kisan Mandis, etc., thereby increasing farmers' income.

## State wise  Production of Apple

Production in '000 Tonnes

| STATES/UTs       |   2013-14 |   2014-15 |   2015-16 |   2016-17 |   2017-18 (Provisional) |
|------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-------------------------|
|                  |   1647.69 |   1368.63 |   1672.72 |   1725.75 |                1744.07  |
| HIMACHAL PRADESH |    738.72 |    625.2  |    777.13 |    468.13 |                 470.647 |
| UTTARAKHAND      |     77.45 |    106.1  |     61.94 |     62.06 |                  63.31  |
| OTHERS           |     33.82 |     33.91 |      9.3  |      9.3  |                   9.27  |
| TOTAL            |   2497.68 |   2133.84 |   2521.09 |   2265.25 |                2287.29  |

Source: Horticulture Statistics Division, Department of Agriculture, Coopn & FW

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## Annexure-I