Kulgam, Oct 14: A majority of apple growers in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district are facing disappointment this season due to significantly lower apple production. Despite their hard work throughout the season, growers are reporting a decline in yields, which has severely impacted their earnings.
Asrar Rayees, an apple grower from Sopat, a well-known apple-producing village in Kulgam, told Rising Kashmir that they are witnessing over a 40% drop in production this season.
“In 2018, we produced over 1,000 boxes of apples from our 20-kanal orchard, but this year we barely expect around 200 boxes. Last year also saw low production. This is a massive decline and will hardly cover our expenses, including the cost of pesticides and fertilizers,” Asrar said.
Javaid Ahmad, an expert grower, attributed the low production to unfavorable weather during the blooming season. He explained that continuous rainfall during that period led to lower temperatures, which in turn affected pollination as honeybees and other pollinators were delayed in arriving.
“In areas with late blooming, such as the upper reaches of Kulgam and Shopian, production was initially better. However, hailstorms and strong winds later caused significant damage,” Ahmad noted.
He added that prolonged dry conditions also led to premature fruit drop in August and September. “The high temperatures and moisture stress caused premature fruit fall, and in some cases, heat injuries occurred. The leaf miner pest further damaged leaves, exposing the fruit and affecting overall production.”
The combination of weather challenges and pest infestations has left apple growers in Kulgam struggling to recover their costs, casting a shadow over the region’s apple industry this season.
Rayees Rather, an expert in the field, said that high-density apple growers have achieved good prices and production. However, he pointed out that currently, only 5% of growers have adopted this method.
“While more growers are beginning to make the shift to high-density orchards, it will take time to fully address this gap,” he said.
Another expert said that the hailstorm and gusty winds in August caused sudden fruit drops and injuries, which was the final blow. These weather events occurred just 15 days before the fruit harvest, resulting in a 40-50% loss in the affected areas of Kulgam.
An official from the Horticulture Department said they are currently estimating the apple production in Kulgam for this season. He acknowledged a decrease in production in some areas, but said that it varies across different regions, and not all areas have experienced a decline.
He added that it is too early to provide specific comments, as the final estimation of apple production is yet to be completed.
