MANALI: Largely organic sweet cherry crop has brought smile on the faces of its growers in
Himachal Pradesh. With bountiful production expected to be over 850 tonnes this season which was
double than the production of last year. Cherry growers here in Manali say that they were getting
good price for the produce this year as yield and selling prices are more compared to last year. The
selling price is varying between Rs 175 to Rs 275 per kg depending on the quality of cherry.
A cherry grower of Manali said that it was highly remunerative too compared to stone fruits.
While last yeat it was fetching a price of Rs 150 to Rs 200 per kg in local markets and over Rs 250 in
Chandigarh and Delhi.
Cherry produce is at its peak and the it packed in small cartons are seen on either side of main
highways for sale. Cartons are also taken to the markets in Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana , Delhi and
Rajsthan, reveals one of the traders. He has also admitted that it was the highest production after
2015-16 when the total production was 617 tonnes. The state has recorded bumper production of
cherries of 1183 tonnes in 2013-14.
The higher reaches of Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Chamba and Kinnaur, at altitudes of 6, 000 to
8, 000 feet above sea level, are ideal for cherry cultivation. Shimla district alone accounts for
more than 90 per cent of the state's total production.Trade representatives said the imported
cherry varieties like 'deuro nera', 'stella', 'merchant' and 'celsius', which have a longer shelf life,
would get good demand.
The hub of cherry cultivation is Narkanda, Kotgarh, Baagi, Matiana, Kumarsain and
Thanedhar in Shimla district. Nearly 20, 000 marginal farmers are involved in cherry cultivation
and grow over 20 varieties on over 500 hectares of areas in the state, stated Dr R.S. Minhas, an
expert in organic farming expert.
He further saids that the cultivation of cherries in the state has emerged as an alternative in
the apple growing areas of the state and has been fetching fairly high prices compared to other
fruit crops which in turn uplift the economic status to farmers community. The shelf-life of
normal cherry varieties ranges from two to three days while the top varieties last up to six days,
says Dr Minhas.
The growers initially got good prices but as the harvesting picked up, there was almost a
glut-like situation in the market. Subsequently, the prices tumbled massively, he said. Last year
the cherry production was less and the fruits prices were handsome. This time the crop yield is
good after a long time and they are getting handsome prices.
Dr Minhas was of the view that cherry cultivation was picking up in the state due to the
higher value it fetched in the market than apples.Besides cherries, Himachal Pradesh -- famous as
country's fruit bowl -- produces major commercial crops include apples, kiwis, strawberries,
pears, peaches, apricots, almonds and plums. Apples alone constitute about 89 per cent of the
total fruit production.The state's fruit industry is worth about Rs 3, 500 crore a year.