Shimla, April 9 -- The apple growers in Himachal Pradesh are a worried lot after a fresh spell of snowfall has caused mercury to plummet to 6 to 8 degrees during the crucial flowering season, when an average temperature of 14 to 15 degrees is essential.

Most orchards are currently in the pink bud stage or early bloom, a phase highly sensitive to external conditions and extreme cold at this stage directly affects pollination and fruit set influencing the eventual yield.

Orchards in lower elevations had already suffered due to inadequate chill during a warmer winter and lack of moisture, resulting in poor bloom and weak fruit set. Now, as mid- and high-altitude orchards reached a promising stage, back-to-back hailstorms and falling temper...