Himachal Pradesh, which lies in the western Himalayas, is considered as model state for the development of mountain/hill states. Agriculture contributes around 9% of state gross domestic product and about 40% of the agriculture GDP is contributed by the horticulture alone. Horticulture, is, thus, considered as the backbone of state economy. The area under fruits, which was 792 hectares in 1950–51 with total production of 1, 200 tones increased to 1, 12, 634 hectares during 2017–18. The total fruit production in 2017–18 was 4.46 lakh tones. Apple is the most important fruit crop of the Himachal Pradesh, which constitutes about 49% of the total area under fruit crops and about 79% of the total fruit production. An estimated 3, 500 crore apple economy has strong backward and forward linkages generating employment to lacs of people. Shimla district leads in terms of area, production and productivity of apple in Himachal Pradesh. District Chamba and Kinnaur registers maximum increase in area and production since the inception of state in 1972. Production and productivity of apple in the low height districts follow a consistent decline whereas the bordered, high altitude districts a progressive increase over the period of time. The apple production is shifting to the higher altitude in the state. Shimla and Kinnaur districts record positive and more than unit growth rate of area, production and productivity out of nine apple producing districts in the state. All the apple producing districts show various degrees of instability in production, productivity and area under the crop and Kinnaur is only district where we find a consistent decline in instability in area, production and productivity during the period under study. Further, area under the crop has maximum effect on growth in district Chamba whereas the yield in Kullu and interaction in Lahul and Spiti.
