Kodaikanal yet to fully tap apple cultivation; farmers want Minister for Horticulture in Tamil Nadu
Farmers in Kodaikanal are successfully cultivating high-chill apple varieties, prompting calls for a dedicated horticulture ministry in Tamil Nadu. Proponents argue that specialized infrastructure and government support are needed to scale exotic fruit production and improve farmer income.
Why it matters
It highlights the potential for agricultural diversification in the Western Ghats and the policy needs of emerging high-value crop sectors.
In 2014, a group of farmers from Kodaikanal returned from Kashmir with the kernel of a dream and a hope to transform the rich valleys of Kodaikanal hills into flourishing apple orchards.
In 2026, two of the farmers nurtured about six apple trees that are now resplendent with soft luscious pink fruits.
This exposure visit, organised by R. Murthy, a farmer, former member of the National Horticulture Board in coordination with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), was conducted at the Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture (CITH) in Srinagar. “We came back with saffron bulbs and also apple saplings. The apple saplings flourished in this climate. Now, as we see these trees bearing fruits year after year, we can with certainty say that high-chill varieties of apples can grow in the high-altitude villages of Kavunji and Poondi,” Mr Murthy says.
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