Arunachal launches pilot project for low-chilling apple cultivation

This period of timeis important for apple trees because it allows buds to developinto flowers as the weather warms up.A 12-year-old plant of HRMN-99 variety yields aquintal of fruit per season, the officials said.The first batch of apple saplings was distributed bystate Agriculture and Horticulture Minister Tage Taki to thebenefiaries at Ziro on Friday.Expressing gratitude to the DoNER ministry, Taki saidthat such encouragement from the ministry would motivatefarmers to take up sustainable farming.Earlier Ziro was an apple growing area but due todeficiency of chilling hours, farmers could not continue withcultivation of the previous varieties.

Arunachal Pradesh has launcheda pilot project for cultivation of a new variety of applethat can be grown in tropical and subtropical areas.

The project would be implemented in 14 acres at Ziro,the headquarters of Lower Subansiri district, through 18beneficiaries, officials said.

It is being funded by North Eastern Region CommunityResource Management Society (NERCRMS) of North Eastern Councilunder the DoNER ministry.

HRMN-99 Apple is a low chilling variety developed byHariman Sharma, a farmer from Bilaspur district of HimachalPradesh several years back, which can be cultivated intropical and sub-tropical regions and does not requirechilling hours.

Chilling hours are the number of hours whentemperatures stay at 0-7 degrees celsius. This period of timeis important for apple trees because it allows buds to developinto flowers as the weather warms up.

A 12-year-old plant of HRMN-99 variety yields aquintal of fruit per season, the officials said.

The first batch of apple saplings was distributed bystate Agriculture and Horticulture Minister Tage Taki to thebenefiaries at Ziro on Friday.

Expressing gratitude to the DoNER ministry, Taki saidthat such encouragement from the ministry would motivatefarmers to take up sustainable farming.

''Earlier Ziro was an apple growing area but due todeficiency of chilling hours, farmers could not continue withcultivation of the previous varieties. With the introductionof HRMN-99, we hope apple production to pick up in the area,''the minister said.