Himachal is known for its apples not only in the country but worldwide as well. A very few know about how this fruit came to India and how it nurtured to win everyone’s heart. Samual Evan Stokes (also known as Satyanand Stokes) was the first person who started the cultivation of apple trees at a small village in Himachal named Thanedar. He is known for starting the large-scale cultivation of apples in Himachal Pradesh. Some of the theories state that Captain R C Scot of the British Army had introduced apples to the Kullu valley of Himachal Pradesh much before Satyanand Stokes, but it is mainly due to the efforts of Satyanand Stokes today Himachal is widely known for delicious red coloured apples.
The hill state of Himachal Pradesh constitutes about 48 percent of the area under the production of apple. The average production is around 2.5 crore of boxes each year but may vary every year depending on the weather conditions. The production of apple is mainly done in the districts of Kullu, Shimla, Kinnaur, Mandi, Chamba and some areas of Sirmaur District. Nowadays the production of apples has stretched to some areas of Lahaul and Spiti district as well. The economy of these areas is mainly dependent on the production of apples. The apple season starts from June and is at its peak in the month of August when the fruits are being harvested from the higher and middle reaches of the state. The total duration of the apple season varies from June to November depending upon the altitude.
Picture Credit : Google
