The winter has been good in Uttarakhand this year with snowfall and rain being experienced over an extended period in considerable quantities even in areas where it was not experienced for some years now.

One such place is Nainital, where some of the regions received snowfall after a gap of about 15 years. This has brought smiles on the faces of farmers, especially those involved in horticulture and fruit cultivation. The orchard owners are now busy preparing their orchards for a better yield.

The snowfall experienced on December 13, 14 last year and on January 8 and later this year is being considered beneficial for the apple cultivation carried out in Mukteshwar, Ramgarh and Dhanachuli areas of the Nainital district.

According to cultivators, due to the snowfall this season, the production of apples this year will be more. Apple is a crop which requires considerable care and attention.

The apple tastes sweeter and also has better form if the tree experiences cold temperatures for about three months. Apart from the apples, the snowfall experienced this season is expected to bring better yield in Nainital’s fruit belts where peaches, apricots and kiwi are also cultivated.

It is after a gap of about 15 years that snowfall was experienced in some of the regions of Nainital.  Mukteshwar and Ramgarh received about one feet of snow which also eliminated the pests. On the other hand, when the snowfall is less, it has a detrimental effect on the apple crop. Not only apples, the snowfall is considered good for other crops and vegetables too. After snowfall, moisture remains in the soil for many days.

Apart from Nainital, other areas, including Harshil, Ranikhet, Munsyari, Chakrata, Tehri, Dhanaulti and Joshimath, and received good snowfall this season. The snowfall is expected to benefit the apple production the most because now the trees will be less susceptible to disease and will also flower on time.

Cultivator Jagat Singh said if there is no hail, there will be a bumper crop of apple and other crops.

Another horticulturist of the area, Harendra Singh Bisht said that the snowfall in this region will prove quite beneficial to the apples. While cultivators were not being able to benefit from the climate for some time now, the snowfall this season will ensure that the apple trees remain free of disease and produce better quality fruit.