SRINAGAR: Climate change has severely impacted Kashmiri agriculture, with apple production following the downward trend previously observed in saffron cultivation.
The production of Kashmiri apples—renowned worldwide—has dropped by at least 30% for the second consecutive year due to climate change and erratic weather patterns.
In addition to climate change, Kashmiri apple orchards are facing severe destruction at the hands of the Indian government. Shopian, once known as the “Fruit Bowl of Kashmir,” has experienced widespread devastation of orchards in the name of railway expansion.
Apple growers across the region have reported that a series of adverse weather conditions during the critical fruit-set season caused a significant drop in yields.
Farmers explained that March brought unusually high temperatures, followed by a wet and cool April, and then a prolonged dry spell, all of which negatively impacted fruit production.
These erratic conditions disrupted essential spray schedules, leading to outbreaks of scab and other diseases, further reducing an already low harvest. Recent hailstorms and the prevalence of leaf miners have also severely impacted both the quantity and quality of the apples, they added.
Irshad Ahmad, a grower from Islamabad district, said that in some areas, production has dropped to just 70% of last year’s yield.
Jahangir Ahmad Dar, a fruit grower from Watchi, Shopian, reported a drastic decline in his harvest. “I went from around 1,200 apple boxes last year to barely 300 this year,” he said.
He explained that many marginal farmers are struggling to cover the costs of pesticides and fertilizers, especially since more expensive treatments were required to combat diseases.
After years of challenges, including untimely snowfall and hailstorms, growers had hoped for better returns this year, but those hopes have been dashed.
Recent hailstorms in South Kashmir have caused significant damage to apple crops, prompting growers to call for immediate government action, including the implementation of a crop insurance scheme to mitigate their losses.
Bashir Ahmad Bashir, president of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers and Dealers Association, confirmed that overall production has decreased by approximately 30% this year due to erratic spring weather and recent hailstorms.
“The apple industry has been facing several challenges,” Bashir said, adding that there is an urgent need for a crop insurance scheme to protect growers from future losses.
While last year’s production was also low, higher prices provided some relief—a situation that has not repeated this year due to decreased demand.
Kashmir typically produces over 2 million metric tonnes of apples annually, occasionally reaching up to 2.5 million metric tonnes. The 2017 economic survey of J&K indicated that half of Kashmir’s population relies directly or indirectly on the apple industry, with over 350,000 hectares dedicated to apple cultivation.
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