Despite this year's bumper apple crop of 21 million MT, India's Kashmiri apple growers have had to contend with transport and huge market volatility issues that is increasingly turning into loss-making ventures.
The apple growing is the backbone of the Kashmir Valleys economy with the industry supporting an entire value chain. However, with the increasing cost of producing a box of apples, of between Rs 300 ($3.7) - 400 ($4.9) it is farmers cannot afford extra costs caused by closed highways that impact the transport to markets. Labour, fertilisers and everything else has increased adding further strain on the profit margins of farmers to recover costs.
The Kashmiri apple growers are also staring at another possible grim season ahead with a warning issued for heavy and potentially damaging snowfall during November. The government's horticulture department also did not issue the needed targets for the establishment of high density apple orchards. Apple trees are supposed to be bought from other countries, then kept in quarantine for a year, and should have been released by July. This has not happened, creating the grim outlook for expansion and growth in the new apple season.