Ginger Gold apple promises bumper stock in Uttarakhand

Dehradun July 5: (ANI) The Horticulture Department of the state has imported a new breed of the apple that can grow at a lower altitude in Nanital, Uttarakhand.

The new variety, called American Ginger Gold, has been imported from the United States. It covers far less area, with 1,100 trees being planted in one hectare of land.

"This variety can be grown closer to each other, with more plants per unit area, and it bears early fruiting," said R. S. Chaudhary, officer of Horticulture Department, Nainital.

The new breed can be grown at a lower altitude at 4,000 feet, whereas the earlier varieties could grow only at 6,000 feet.

The apple-growers in the area hope to reap a bumper crop in the coming years. Presently, the American Ginger Gold bears five kilograms of fruit per plant but according to the Horticulture Department, in another five years, each plant can bear 20 kilograms of apple. (ANI)