Snowfall in Chamba, Mussoorie and parts of Tehri as well as higher reaches of the mountainous parts of the State has made the horticulturalists cheerful as it bodes well for their produce. However, the delay in rainfall in various parts of the State has resulted in the Rabi crops like wheat withering in the fields.
Those engaged in growing them have nothing to cheer about as the damage done by the scanty rainfall is almost irreparable. Statistics reveal that around fifty percent of the seasonal crops like wheat have already perished due to the vagaries of the weather. Experts say that the recent spells of rains can hardly revive the withering wheat and other Rabi crops.
However, on the other side of the spectrum, the producers of apple and other fruits based in Chamba, Mussoorie, Falpatti, Dhanaulti and Kanatal sound elated with Saturday’s spell of rain and snow, as they are convinced that they bode well for the production of the fruits they grow by way of livelihood. Experts say that for good apple production, temperatures should be below four degrees for at least 1200-1400 hours.