Srinagar- During the 2025 apple season in Jammu and Kashmir, fruit growers faced significant challenges, leading to extensive losses and a struggling fruit economy. Various factors, including weather conditions, transportation issues, and market disruptions, contributed to this disastrous season.
The prolonged highway closures due to heavy rainfall in August severely impacted the apple harvest season, resulting in transportation delays and deteriorating produce quality. The closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway disrupted supply lines, causing apple prices to plummet and growers to incur substantial financial losses.
Efforts to use the Mughal Road as an alternative transportation route proved inadequate for large-scale fruit transportation, further exacerbating the crisis. The increased freight charges and delays in transporting fruit led to additional costs and damaged fruit quality.
Growers emphasized that the 2025 crisis exposed deep-rooted structural issues within the fruit economy, such as orchard diseases, substandard inputs, and low apple prices. The lack of effective regulation and support aggravated the situation, leading to unprecedented losses.
Although cold storage facilities provided some relief by allowing growers to store produce, the existing capacity fell short of meeting the region’s production needs. Growers called for increased regulation of storage facilities and the establishment of more storage units to prevent distress sales.
Despite the challenges faced during the 2025 season, horticulture expansion continues in Jammu and Kashmir. However, growers cautioned that without proper infrastructure, insurance coverage, and market support, this expansion could pose greater risks to farmers and the fruit economy.
The fruit economy is a vital source of livelihood for many in the region, but it is now at a critical juncture. Urgent measures are needed to address the underlying issues and prevent further weakening of the horticulture sector and the lives dependent on it.
