Apple growers in Kashmir are suffering heavy losses on their stored produce amid weak market demand, which has pushed down prices and deepened concerns among orchardists.
According to farmers, apples are currently selling between ₹75 and ₹80 per kilogram in wholesale markets outside Jammu and Kashmir, making it difficult for growers to recover their input costs. Growers and traders attribute the slump partly to imported apples from the United States, South Africa and Chile flooding markets across India, reducing demand for locally grown produce.
“We are unable to recoup our expenses at the current market prices,” said Ashiq Hussain, an apple cultivator from south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, who stored his harvest in a local controlled atmosphere (CA) facility in October.
Additional charges
Besides spending on pesticides, labour and transportation, farmers also have to bear additional charges for CA storage, squeezing their margins further. Many growers said the prolonged slump in prices has triggered anxiety among orchardists who rely heavily on apple cultivation for their livelihood.
“If prices do not improve in the coming weeks, many farmers may be forced to sell their produce at distress rates despite months of hard work and investment,” Hussain said.
Apple cultivation is the backbone of Kashmir’s rural economy, with nearly 3.5 million people in Jammu and Kashmir directly or indirectly dependent on the sector for their livelihood, according to industry estimates.
“Rising temperatures are another major concern for us. The produce may rot during transportation amid the sweltering heat,” said Tariq Ahmad, another cultivator.
Due to incessant rainfall and the prolonged closure of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway during August and September, a larger number of farmers this season diverted their produce to CA storages. Growers said continuous rain triggered unusual apple drop in orchards, forcing many to harvest early and store their produce to avoid further losses.
Mohammad Ashraf Wani, president of Fruit Mandi Shopian, said more than 300,000 metric tonnes of apples were stored in different CA facilities across the Valley this season. “Around 25 to 30 percent of the produce is still lying unsold in CA storages,” Wani said, attributing the slowdown to subdued demand in major markets outside the region.
Published on May 18, 2026