Kashmir also known as “Paradise of Earth” is also home to temperate fruits like apple for which it is very famous across the globe. Apple is commercially the most important temperate fruit and is fourth among the most widely produced fruits in the world after banana, orange and grapes. Kashmiri historian Kalhana’s 12th century chronicle of Kashmir’s kings – Rajtarangini — mentions about apples being grown in the valley and were planted along the paths to provide shade and food to travellers. They were also cultivated in fields and slopes and bartered by growers for other products. Today, these apples not only generate livelihood for lakhs of farmers and cold store owners in the valley but are also much sought by customers across India and abroad. The main varieties of apples grown in Kashmir valley are Razakwari, Hazratbali, Chemora, Maharaji, American Apple, Delicious Apple and Ambri.
To boost apple production in Kashmir valley, the Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare ministry have also approved an “Apple Cluster” for the Shopian district, under the Cluster Development Programme and it will envisage the development of Shopian apple on three verticals including pre-production-production, post-harvest management, and value addition and logistics, marketing, and branding to make it globally competitive with estimated cost of Rs 135.23 crore.
Apple cultivation in India is dominated by Kashmir, which produces 78 per cent of India’s total annual output of around 25-26 lakh metric tonnes (MT). The apple industry is Kashmir’s largest employment generator, providing 400 man-days of work per year per hectare of orchards, employing 3.5 million people, and contributing about 10 per cent to its GSDP. The total apple production in Kashmir in the years 2020-2021 according to the Directorate of Horticulture J&K was 1695000.00 metric tonnes and in Jammu Division it was 24415.69 metric tonnes. The whole UT of J&K produces 1719415.69 Metric tonnes of apples. The major producer was the valley of Kashmir. The Kashmir Valley exports around 18 lakh metric tons of apples annually and produces 75 percent of India’s total apple production.
Bashir Ahmad Bashir, President of Kashmir fruit growers and dealers association says that the rates of apples have almost doubled in the last one month and its benefit goes only 10 – 15 % cold storage productions while the main growers received huge losses in 2022 due to various reasons despite being bumper apple production, an apple box weighing 16 kilograms was sold at Rs 500 and now the rates have gone up to Rs 1200 and above for a 10-kilogram apple box as the demand for Kashmir apple has increased.
Apple is grown only at higher elevation where the temperature drops down to a very low level which is highly required for the growth of such fruit bearing trees. Thus in the Indian sub continent the Himalayan region especially the Kashmir valley which is noted for its monsoon is the most favorable location for the growth of apples and other temperate fruits.
There are lots of mentions about the Kashmir apple in history where the famous Chinese pilgrim Huen Tsang who travelled to Kashmir has made a mention of various temperate fruits like Pears, Wild Plum, Peach, Apricot, Grape and Apple. The breathtaking and the stunning beauty of the valley of Kashmir and its temperate fruits like apples has been complimented by people from different areas including writers and travelers belonging to different ages and nationalities.
It was the Mughal emperor Jehangir who named Kashmir as the Paradise on Earth for the valley is featured with snow capped peaks and sparkling streams, high pastures carpeted with alpine flowers, fertile valley rich with fruits and grain and its lakes and springs. It has been considered from time immemorial that planting any fruit or nut tree as sacred here in Kashmir.
Long before the Moguls (16th Century), the Shamir rulers had laid out gardens and orchards in the valley. Sultan Zain-ul-Abidin “Budshah” (1420-1470 AD) imported many fruit grafts for furtherance during his reign along with the art of grafting from Central Asia. There are lot of historical evidences that states that the valley of Kashmir in Himalayas is rich in apple, plums, nut fruits and grapes. Modern cultivator of fruit trees consider that apples have an origin starting from the temperate zone of Britain in the northwest to Himalayas in the Southeast which accounts for a very vast area.
The people of Kashmir mostly identify any of their native fruit or plant or tree or flower only by their local nomenclature. Apple in their local nomenclature is referred as Chunt, Pear by tang, Apricot by Chaer, Walnut by Duon, Poplar by Fresst, Willow by Weer, Wild cherry by Alich, Plum by Aer, and Grape by dache and so on. But however now there are a lot of improved varieties available in the market which is mainly at the cost of wild aboriginal.
According to the reports, the total annual rainfall required for the growth and the fruiting of an apple tree is about 100-125 cm and can be grown only at an altitude of about 1,500-2,700 m. above sea level. However when there is an excessive rainfall during the ripening stage of the fruit then it results in poor quality of the fruit with improper color and fungal spots on its surface. The ideal soil required for the cultivation is loamy which is mostly organic having a PH of about 5.5 to 6.5, well aerated and proper drainage.
The most common areas in Kashmir which are known for its apple cultivation are Srinagar, Budgam, Pulwama, Anatnag, Baramulla and Kupwara. A proper layout is required for the apple orchard. The planting is done in the month of January and February as the planting material is usually got from the nurseries which are registered with the government.
The local investors have come up with lot of storage units which has helped to regulate dispatches. The creation of a chain of mandis has reduced the efforts of the farmer where the buyers make direct entry into the market for direct purchase and there is no toll tax. The interventions at the banking level created a situation in which the credit is a no- frills access and the farmer is least dependent on the middle man who was an exploitative moneylender. But still there are grey areas where apples in Kashmir are being sold on less prices and import of apples from Iran and Afghanistan through the cross Loc route is posing a serious threat to the apple growers.
(The author is a regular columnist and can be mailed at [email protected])
