Value Chain Analysis of Apple in Shimla District of Himachal Pradesh, India

The study sought to acquire extensive insights into the markets and associated marketing strategies within the Shimla district during the year 2021-22. Employing a random sampling technique, a representative sample comprising five traders, five wholesalers, five retailers, and thirty actively engaged consumers in the apple marketing sector was selected. The investigation identified the presence of five distinct marketing channels in the study area. Channel-V, which involves the processing of apples into value-added forms such as jam, wine, and juice, exhibited the most substantial degree of value addition, contributing 55.80 percent to the overall value addition. In the study area, the majority of farmers acquire their inputs from private institutes. A methodically prepared value chain map illustrates the continuous transfer of produce from farmers to consumers. Notably, the wholesale stage experienced the most significant loss, amounting to 4.11 kg per quintal. In the storage of apples, the storage unit gained a profit of 140 Rs per kg, while in the processing of apples, the processing unit it was 13333.59 Rs. per quintal.