Kashmir is in for very tough economic crisis. Horticulture sector, being the backbone of region’s economy, is crumbling with every passing day with the governments at Srinagar and New Delhi just making claims but doing little to save this industry. Apples are rotting, apple growers are crying, the livelihood of millions is facing a serious threat. This sector employs around 3.5 million people—nearly half the population of Jammu and Kashmir—and contributes about 8% to the local GDP, generating over ₹10,000 crore annually through horticulture. Apples alone account for the majority of this, with Kashmir producing roughly 75% of India’s exported apples. However, constant disruption of Srinagar-Jammu highway, weather vagaries, policy failures, market disruptions, and infrastructural shortcomings has brought the industry on knees.
Recent floods inundated orchards, damaging crops and turning apples muddy and unsellable in scores of south and central Kashmir villages. Due to the erratic monsoons and unseasonal weather 20-30% production drop has been recorded across Jammu and Kashmir. The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, the vital artery for transporting apples to markets like Delhi’s Azadpur Mandi, has been repeatedly closed due to floods, landslides, and security concerns. Fruit laden trucks have remained stranded for days together and transportation costs has risen by 50% or more. In peak season, only 3,200 metric tonnes of apples reach markets daily compared to 18,250 tonnes in previous years. There is no adequate cold storage and bumper crops rot in open fields. Though the Indian Railways has introduced a daily parcel service from Badgam to Delhi, it is a good step but not enough.
Reports suggest that cheap imports from Iran, Turkey, and even the US (following a 20% tariff waiver) have flooded Indian markets, undercutting Kashmiri apples. Prices have dipped 30-50% this year, with boxes selling for ₹800 instead of ₹1,000-1,300—barely covering production costs amid rising pesticide, labor, and fuel expenses. Fruit growers complain that there is no price regulation, inadequate subsidies, and no better infrastructure like processing centres and export facilities.
While a sort of competition is going between elected government led by Omar Abdullah and LG administration led by Manoj Sinha, the apple growers are watching helplessly. Their produce is rotting. They are suffering huge losses. They are not able to reach outside markets. They simply want concrete and practical interventions. Their very existence and that of Kashmir’s economy is at risk. Let the dual administration shun the egoistic handling of the issue and resole it for the betterment of entire Kashmir.