Saving Kashmir’s Apple Harvest from the Brink of Disaster
Farooq Brazloo
In the lush valleys of Kashmir, where apple orchards paint the landscape in vibrant reds and greens, a crisis unfolds that threatens to unravel the very fabric of the region’s economy. The recent closure of National Highway 44 (NH-44), triggered by relentless landslides and heavy rainfall in the Udhampur-Ramban belt, has stranded over 1,700 trucks laden with freshly harvested apples and other perishable fruits. For farmers and stakeholders in the horticulture sector, this is not just a logistical nightmare—it’s an existential threat. As the appeal from Kashmir’s fruit growers rightly highlights, the inability to transport these vital crops to markets across India could devastate thousands of families and cripple Jammu and Kashmir’s (J&K) economy, where horticulture contributes nearly 8% to the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) and sustains over 3.5 million livelihoods.
The situation is dire. NH-44, the sole all-weather road linking Kashmir Valley to the rest of India, has been blocked for the fourth consecutive day as of August 29, 2025. Multiple landslides between Jakheni and Chenani in Udhampur district have rendered the 270-km stretch impassable, leaving scores of vehicles, including essential supply trucks, stranded at Qazigund and between Qazigund and Khanbal in Anantnag. Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, president of the Apple Farmers Federation of Kashmir, voiced the growers’ anguish: “Fruit growers and traders who harvested their high-density apple crop are worried as trucks are stranded on the highway. This variety is perishable, with a shorter shelf life than the delicious variety. We expect the government to restore the highway as early as possible.” Fayaz Ahmad Malik, president of Sopore Fruit Mandi—Asia’s second-largest wholesale fruit market—estimated that 300 to 400 trucks carrying pears and early-season fruits are immobilized, potentially leading to losses in crores if delays persist. This isn’t hyperbole; the mutton trade is equally hit, with essential commodities halted at Kathua, exacerbating supply chain disruptions.
Kashmir’s apple industry is already reeling from a year of unprecedented challenges. Extreme and unpredictable weather has slashed production by up to 30-40% for the second consecutive year, according to the Kashmir Fruit Growers and Dealers Union. Erratic spring conditions—dry, high temperatures in March followed by wet, cool April—disrupted spray schedules, triggering outbreaks of scab, Alternaria, and necrotic leaf blotch diseases. Recent hailstorms in south Kashmir, particularly Shopian, have inflicted heavy damage on blooming flowers, with growers like Bashir Ahmad from Shopian reporting black spots on leaves and early fruit drop. High-density orchards, a modern shift covering over 3,000 hectares since 2016, are especially vulnerable; a midnight windstorm on May 19, 2025, with speeds of 85 km/h, destroyed 400 plants across 7.5 kanals for one Pulwama orchardist, Abdul Bari, who blamed substandard hail nets from private companies. Overall, production has dipped to around 15-16 lakh metric tons, down from peaks of 2.06 million tonnes, with yields improving slightly to 12 t/ha but quality suffering from sunburn, reduced juiciness, and pests like leaf miners and woolly aphids due to a 35% rainfall deficit from June to September 2024.
These losses compound historical vulnerabilities. In 2022, similar highway blockages stranded over 8,000 apple trucks for weeks, causing Rs 700 crore in damages as quality deteriorated and prices plummeted. Climate change exacerbates the peril: back-to-back dry winters have led to water scarcity in reservoirs like the Jhelum River, below zero levels, forcing farmers to rely on pumps for irrigation. A Harvard study from 2013, presciently warning of structural risks, now rings true as temperatures rise, with June 2025 marking Kashmir’s hottest month since 1978 at an average 33°C maximum. Marginal farmers, burdened by loans for high-density plantations, face bankruptcy without intervention. As one Anantnag grower, Irshad Ahmad, lamented, yields have dropped to 70% of last year’s in some areas, with no comprehensive crop insurance to cushion the blow.
Against this backdrop, the growers’ appeal to the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor and UT Government is a clarion call for empathy and action. Prioritizing fruit-laden trucks on alternative routes like the Mughal Road—currently open for heavy vehicles but uncertain for smooth transit—must be immediate. However, the real game-changer lies in leveraging rail transport as a timely alternative. The recent approval of the Joint Parcel Product-Rapid Cargo (JPP-RCS) service by the Railway Board, operating daily between Budgam and Delhi’s Adarsh Nagar with eight parcel vans, arrives at a critical juncture. This pilot service, set to launch soon, promises to transport apples, saffron, walnuts, and handicrafts in about 23 hours—faster and cheaper than road travel. Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, a Baramulla fruit grower, hailed it as a “much-needed boost,” especially with the apple harvest season weeks away. Bashir Ahmad Basheer of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers cum Dealers Union added that it would lower input costs and ensure timely delivery to Delhi’s wholesale markets.
Live examples underscore rail’s potential. The Kisan Rail scheme, launched in 2020 under Operation Greens with 50% subsidies for perishables, has transported onions, bananas, strawberries, and apples nationwide, reducing wastage by up to 20-30% as per NITI Aayog estimates. In 2022, during NH-44 blockages, Kisan Rails moved 100 tonnes of onions from Maharashtra to Delhi, preventing spoilage and stabilizing prices. Closer to home, the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), fully operational since June 2025 with Vande Bharat Express trains halving Jammu-Srinagar travel to three hours, includes freight provisions for grains and petroleum—now expandable to fruits. The Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest railway arch at 359 meters, and the Pir Panjal Tunnel ensure all-weather reliability, immune to the landslides plaguing NH-44. On August 9, 2025, the first freight train from Punjab delivered cement to Anantnag, proving the network’s viability for essentials; extending it to apples could save the current harvest.
Yet, challenges persist. Current controlled-atmosphere (CA) storage covers only 13% of the crop (270,374 tonnes), necessitating staggered sales to avoid gluts that crash prices—down 37% to Rs 458 per box in two years. Imports from Iran, Washington, and South Africa, peaking September-December, flood markets just as Kashmir’s dispatch surges, undercutting local produce. The appeal urges coordination with the Union Minister for Railways to facilitate freight trains immediately, bypassing the 50-km last-mile gaps to stations. Doubling CA capacity in Baramulla, Shopian, and Anantnag, alongside subsidies for hail nets and insurance, is imperative.
Kashmir’s apples are more than a crop, they symbolize resilience amid adversity. The UT administration must act swiftly: fast-track NH-44 restoration, prioritize fruit trucks, and operationalize rail cargo without delay. By doing so, not only can this crisis be averted, but the horticulture sector can emerge stronger, turning vulnerability into opportunity. The farmers’ plea is not just urgent—it’s a mandate for survival. Ignoring it risks a humanitarian and economic catastrophe in the heart of paradise.
(Farooq Brazloo is renowned social activist from Kulgam Kashmir)
