Apples, Mountains, and Mudslides: A Journey Through Kinnaur’s Orchards
When you think of apples from Himachal, you probably imagine crisp red fruit in crdboard boxes stacked neatly on a truck, heading towards cities like Delhi or Bangalore. But behind every apple that makes its way to your market basket lies a story of resilience, unpredictability, and quiet endurance.
Recently, I traveled with Gupta-jee from Shimla into the heart of Kinnaur. Our goal was simple: to meet apple farmers, understand their struggles, and share how natural farming, certification, and fairer marketing models can bring them the dignity and income they deserve. What unfolded over those days was more than a trip it was a revelation of how fragile yet determined the life of a mountain farmer is.
The Road to Kinnaur: Between the River and the Rocks
The journey began on the morning of August 26th, 2025. Shimla’s cool mist still clung to the hills as our car started winding towards Kinnaur. The road ran alongside the Sutlej River majestic, furious, and unrelenting.
On one side, towering cliff leaned dangerously close, as if testing gravity; on the other, the river roared, carrying silt and boulders with a power that humbled us. The highway itself seemed like an afterthought barely wide enough for two vehicles to cross. Every few kilometres, signs of small rockfalls reminded us of the risks transporters face daily when ferrying apples to faraway cities.
Yet, amidst this raw, intimidating landscape, there was beauty: lush green valleys dotted with villages, prayer flags fluttering across bridges, and, most captivating of all, apple orchards. Trees bent under the weight of red and golden fruit, and I thought to myself if only consumers in metros could see this before judging an apple for a small blemish.
Day 1: Farmers at KVK Recong Peo
By evening, we reached Recong Peo and next morning directly joined a gathering of nearly 30 farmers at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK). These were growers from different corners of Kinnaur men and women with stories as varied as the orchards they tended.
The central theme that emerged from their voices was this: marketing is the farmer’s biggest battle. They produce apples of unmatched quality, often naturally farmed, yet are forced to accept whatever price traders or mandi contractors dictate. Input costs, logistics, and labour are rarely factored in.
I reminded them of a truth we often ignore: a mobile phone manufacturer decides the price of its phone; a carmaker fixes the cost of its model so why can’t a farmer decide the fair price of his apple?
Here, the role of CETARA certification became crucial. Every farmer in that room had it. CETARA doesn’t just certify natural farming it also provides a unique QR code. When scanned, it shows the consumer the farmer’s name, location, and details of inputs used. It builds trust and transparency, turning every apple into more than just fruit: it becomes a story.
This is where Gram Disha Trust (GDT), the organization represent, comes in. Unlike conventional supply chains where farmers are lucky to retain 20–30% of the consumer rupee, GDT ensures at least 60% goes directly to the farmer. This isn’t charity; it’s fairness. By shortening the chain and valuing the farmer’s role, we aim to create a system where both consumer and producer win.
There is also an element of technology which is being infused into the Agrifood systems in Himachal Pradesh. The meeting also introduced farmers to the Him SHIKHAR which is under development at Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry. This Mobile app is used as a knowledge base to spread Natural Farming in the state as well as support the market linkage process for Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs). The farmers were enthralled to see such developments by the government to spread Agroecology in the state.
That first day ended with hope in the farmers’ eyes and determination in ours.
Day 2: Into LippaRain, Roads, and Resilient Farmers
The next morning brought heavy rain, but we pressed on towards Lippa, a remote village tucked deeper into the valley. The road was treacherous narrow enough for only one car, with a sheer drop into the river on one side and unstable cliffs on the other. Every sharp turn was a reminder of how fragile this supply chain is. If a truck carrying apples can slip or get stuck here, the fruit may never reach a market hundreds of kilometers away.
In Lippa, we met a farmer who is also the principal of the local school a leader not just in education but also in agriculture. His apple orchards stood proudly, managed with strict adherence to natural farming principles: no chemicals, no shortcuts, only traditional and sustainable practices.
But his vision went further. On separate plots, he had started cultivating lavender and hyssopcrops with medicinal and aromatic value. These weren’t intercropped with apples; they were grown as independent ventures. His idea was simple: diversify income sources so that the family isn’t entirely dependent on apples. For us, it was inspiring to see how innovation and tradition could coexist in these remote mountains.
Yet, the challenges were real. That very morning, the region had suffered a cloudburst. Streams overflowed, and some farmers lost parts of their fields. Standing on what felt like “ground zero,” we realized just how much risk these communities live with every day.
Day 3: Renewed Energy and Farmer Curiosity
Back at KVK on the third day, the mood had shifted. The farmers who had hesitated earlier now came with pointed questions. How does the 60% revenue sharing model actually work? How can QR codes win over sceptical urban consumers? Could farmer producer companies (FPCs) join hands with GDT to streamline logistics and recordkeeping?
It was clear: curiosity had replaced doubt. Many farmers were eager to calculate the real cost of their apples using this model. For the first time, they imagined a scenario where they weren’t price takers, but price makers. Later that day, we visited Kalpa, meeting board members of a local FPC. Together, we discussed how collaboration could reduce logistics costs and formalize payments. For an organization like GDT, partnering with FPCs means efficiency; for farmers, it means shared strength.
The visit ended with another orchard walkdowns of apple trees against the backdrop of snow kissed peaks. Each tree stood as testimony to generations of patience.
Day 4: Landslides and Harsh Realities
Our final day was perhaps the most sobering. Overnight rain triggered multiple landslides, blocking roads at several points. Transporters were stranded with truckloads of apples. Some farmers told us they had no idea if their produce would ever reach Delhi or rot along the way.
This is the grim reality of mountain farming: nature decides everything. No matter how hard farmers work, one landslide can destroy not just fruit, but also hope. For consumers, apples delayed by a week may still look finebut for farmers, those delays often mean price crashes, rejections, or total losses.
One farmer summed it up simply: “Hamari mehnat sadkon par atki rehti hai.” Our hard work gets stuck on the roads.
Day 5.6.7.8.The Journey Back: When Roads Disappear
If the journey to Kinnaur taught us about the farmers’ resilience, the journey back taught us about our own.
The rains had worsened. By the time we began our return from Bhabanagar, the main road was already blocked by landslides. Trucks loaded with apples stood stranded, their fruit slowly rotting while farmers waited helplessly for the roads to reopen. Every passing hour meant more loss not because of lack of demand, but because nature had sealed the exits.
So, we climbed. The only way forward was over the mountain itself, along trails carved by locals and shepherds. These were no ordinary paths they were thigh-high steps of wet mud, slippery grass clinging to rocks, and sharp drops into the valley below. A single misstep could have ended not just the journey, but a life. With soaked shoes, tired legs, and backpacks weighed down by the rain, each step was a negotiation with fear.
Along the way, we crossed fellow travellers, villagers hauling rations on their backs, and even children walking these same treacherous routes as part of their not so daily routine. Their calmness in the face of such danger was humbling.
What should have been a 3.5-hour ride from Bhabanagar to Narkanda stretched into an ordeal that lasted the entire day trekking across mountains, waiting for bulldozers to clear debris, taking short taxi rides where the road allowed, and walking again where it didn’t. By the time we finally reached Narkanda late at night, exhausted and mud-stained, it felt less like a journey and more like survival.
And yet, this is the reality behind every box of natural apples that finally reaches its market. The fruit does not travel on smooth highways and under predictable skies it comes through broken roads, human endurance, and a silent agreement with the mountains.
So the next time you pick up an apple and admire its shine, remember this: behind its freshness lies not just the farmer’s toil, but also journeys like ours through landslides, slippery trails, and endless uncertainty. Each apple carries a piece of the mountain with it, and the untold story of how far people go just to bring nature’s gift to your table.
Beyond Apples: Key Learnings
This trip was not just about seeing orchardsit was about rethinking the entire food system.
- Certifications like CETARA are lifelines: They provide proof of natural farming, build consumer trust, and give farmers bargaining power.
- GDT’s 60% model is transformative: By ensuring most of the consumer rupee reaches the producer, we restore fairness to the chain.
- Diversification is resilience: From lavender to hyssop, farmers are experimenting with new crops to survive uncertain apple markets.
- Technology can empower: The Him Shikhar app developed by UHF Nauni helps farmers plan input use, follow natural methods like bijamrit and ghanjivamrit, and reduce dependence on external advisories.
- Climate change is the biggest disruptor: Cloudbursts, erratic rains, and landslides are no longer rare they are the rule. Farming in Kinnaur today means living on the edge, literally and figuratively.
Conclusion: What Your Apple Really Costs
As I left Kinnaur, delayed by the same landslides that trapped apple trucks, I couldn’t help but reflect on the contrast between mountain reality and urban perception.
In Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, or Ahmedabad, consumers often frown at a spot on an apple or bargain for a lower price. But that apple may have survived cloudbursts, landslides, treacherous roads, and sleepless nights. Its blemish is not a flaw it is a badge of resilience.
Natural farming in Himachal is not an easy choice. It means rejecting chemicals that promise higher yields, it means trusting the soil and the season, and it means living with uncertainty. But it also means producing food that is safe, transparent, and worthy of trust.
Through Gram Disha Trust, we hope to bridge this gap bringing farmers closer to consumers, not just in trade but in understanding. Because if consumers truly value the story behind the fruit, farmers will finally get the dignity and price they deserve.
So, the next time you hold a Himachal apple, pause. Look past the gloss, and remember the valley, the rain, the roads, and the farmer who nurtured it.
It’s not just an apple. It’s Kinnaur in your hands.
