In the heart of Kashmir’s apple country, a gamble on high-density European apple varieties has left farmers like Sayar Ahmad Lone questioning their future. Three years ago, Lone uprooted decades-old apple trees on his Shopian orchard, investing ₹16 lakh in saplings imported from Europe. The promise was enticing: quicker harvests, higher yields, and bigger profits. But this season, a market glut has slashed prices by nearly 40%, leaving growers across the valley in distress.
A 10-12 kg box of apples that sold for ₹1,300-1,400 in 2024 now barely fetches ₹750-1,000. For Lone and thousands of others, the dream of prosperity is fading fast. “The hype was so strong that we replaced ancestral orchards with these new trees,” says Lone. “Now, with prices crashing, we don’t know if it was worth it.”
Apples aren’t just a crop in Kashmir—they’re the lifeline of the region’s economy. Valued at over ₹8,000 crore, apple farming supports 3.5 million people and contributes 8% to Jammu and Kashmir’s GDP. The valley produces 75% of India’s apples, with exports hitting 1.8 million metric tonnes annually. But the shift to high-density cultivation, introduced in 2015-16, has brought both hope and hardship.
Unlike traditional orchards, which take up to 15 years to bear fruit, high-density varieties yield within two years and reach full production by year five. The government’s Modified High-Density Plantation Scheme offers 50% subsidies to encourage adoption, aiming for 5,500 hectares by 2026. Italian Gala, a European import, now dominates 70% of Kashmir’s apple orchards, reshaping the landscape—both literally and economically.
Yet, this rapid transformation hasn’t been smooth. Ghulam Mohuddin Bhat, a Pulwama farmer, abandoned almonds and plums for high-density apples in 2021. Now, with prices collapsing, he regrets the switch. “Almonds and plums needed almost no investment,” he laments. Misleading social media posts falsely claiming sky-high prices led many to harvest prematurely, flooding markets with unripe, low-quality fruit that buyers rejected.
Heavy monsoon rains worsened the crisis. Abdul Rashid Baba, a grower from Tral, says continuous downpours kept buyers away, compounding the oversupply problem. Traders also blame poor-quality imported saplings, outdated European rejects that lacked proper testing and research support. “We’re planting what Europe discarded,” says Shopian trader Mohammad Ashraf Wani. Without localized guidance, farmers struggle to adapt.
Even with modern infrastructure, many growers cling to traditional methods. Izhan Javeed of Fruitmaster Agro Fresh notes that European success relies on strict scientific practices—something Kashmiri farmers often bypass. Pesticide overuse, inefficient watering, and ignored advisories further hinder progress. Ehsan Quddusi of Orchardly highlights stark contrasts: while Europe uses 300 litres of water per hectare for spraying, Kashmir soaks fields with 6,000 litres.
Climate change adds another layer of risk. Scorching summers and dry winters strain irrigation-dependent high-density orchards. Last year’s heatwave stunted fruit growth even with drip irrigation, leaving apples undersized. “Water is non-negotiable for these orchards,” says horticulture expert Mohammad Amin. But with erratic weather, reliability is fading.
The core issue, Quddusi argues, isn’t just falling prices—it’s Kashmir’s alarmingly low productivity. Global apple yields average 45 tonnes per hectare; Kashmir struggles at 18. Poor thinning practices, lack of diversity (most grow only Gala), and post-harvest mishandling drag down potential. “We need late-yielding varieties to stagger supply and stabilize prices,” he says.
Despite the turmoil, officials remain hopeful. Amin insists high-density farming is still viable if farmers embrace precision agriculture and better grading. Some educated youth are entering the sector, signaling potential change. But for now, Kashmir’s apple growers are caught between the allure of modernization and the harsh reality of an unpredictable market.