By:Himvani
The ruins of earthquake may be confined to Nepal however its long term ramifications could be witnessed elsewhere as Rupees 3000 crore apple economy may be hit if most of sturdy workers employed by apple growers in their orchards start flying back home.
However experts are worried that prospects are likely to be hampered due to recent calamities in Nepal as most of them may rush back owing to the domestic crisis of after math of earthquake devastation or for the reconstruction there.
Agricultural experts are concerned that massive reconstruction work aftermath natural spree may force them to rush back home or moreover they could migrate back before peak upcoming apple season begins in this hill state.
It is worthwhile to mention that apple economy mostly depends by influx of sturdy Nepali workers who run the entire show from picking up of apple from the trees to carry it to the roadside.
These Nepali citizens also prefer to work in the apple orchards owing to cash crop however most of them return back after the apple season get over to celebrate festival season in Nepal carrying their wages from here every year.
“One cannot not imagine the plight of apple economy without the robust ‘ Gorkhas’ in the apple growing areas of Shimla, Kullu and Mandi” quotes Mr. Jagdish Chauhan from Kotkhai,
“Delayed winter, frequent rain and hailstorms are looming over the orchards but apple growers would have to face another hardship if these workers return back home” says Mr. Sardar Chauhan another apple growers.
Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation(HRTC) was running a special bus service from Shimla to Tunkpur and most of Nepali workers use this service to come and return back.
The growers keep keen look to this service as it arrive here early morning to enroll them for their works in orchards so that they could get good yields with their help.
