Apple is Our Livelihood

After a brief overview of the National Workshop of Apple Farmers by Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami, the book begins with P Krishnaprasad's article stating the need for apple growers to collectively form and activate producer cooperatives, address issues of post-harvest storage management, and partake in processing industries, promote transportation and manage distribution upto retail to overcome the current state of exploitation. Shubhojeet Dey investigates the appropriation of surplus value by big corporates in the apple value-chain, while Vikas Rawal throws light on the global dimensions of apple trade and compares apple productivities across various countries.

To provide a regional analysis, Nisar Ali looks at horticulture production trends in Jammu & Kashmir and Om Prakash Bhuraita gives an overview of the apple economy of Himachal Pradesh. As a majority of India's apples come from traditional orchards characterised by low yields and weak immunity, horticulture scientists Wasim Hassan Raja and Sajad Un Nabi illuminate the role played by hybrid apple varieties and disease management practises in improving production and quality of apple crop. At a time when horticulture data is being compiled to suit particular narratives, AH Mir and TA Raja give a scientific account of how statistical designs can give precision results during crop trials.

The book also contains the Charter of Demands and Resolutions adopted by the Apple Farmers' Federation of India (AFFI).