2025, Vol. 6, Issue 2, Part F

Methods: Using multistage and convenience sampling, 535 growers were given a structured questionnaire with 58 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale. The internal consistency of the four identified dimensions of challenges incorporated in the apple industry—production, marketing, finance, and supply chain—was examined (Cronbach's alpha = 0.917). Welch ANOVA. Assumption testing revealed non-normal data distributions and unequal variances for some variables, necessitating the use of Welch ANOVA and the Games-Howell post hoc test.

Results: The analysis revealed statistically significant block-wise differences in both production challenges and supply chain challenges. Specifically, production challenges were significantly greater in Pooh and Karsog compared to Rohru, while supply chain issues were most severe in Rohru, differing significantly from Pooh, Karsog, and Janjehli. No significant differences were found across blocks for marketing and financial challenges, suggesting these are uniformly experienced.

Conclusion: These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions: infrastructure improvements in Rohru to address supply chain bottlenecks, and localized support in Pooh and Karsog for mitigating production-related difficulties. The use of robust statistical methods strengthens the reliability of these insights and supports evidence-based policy planning to enhance apple farming sustainability in the region.