Srinagar, Apple farmers in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) are facing a challenging season due to an extended period of dry weather, contrasting sharply with last year’s favorable conditions that led to a bountiful harvest.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the region experienced erratic weather from March to June last year, impacting various horticultural crops. Despite these challenges, farmers managed to harvest a good crop. This year, however, the situation is markedly different, with a prolonged dry spell raising concerns among apple farmers throughout the occupied territory.

A good snowfall typically indicates the potential for a quality harvest, but the absence of snowfall during the ongoing winter season is causing distress for many farmers, particularly those who cultivate apples. Muhammad Ashraf Wani, a fruit grower and former president of Fruit Mandi Shopian, expressed concern over the lack of snowfall even during Chillai Kalan, the harshest part of winter. He noted that the dry spell could lead to water shortages and significantly impact both the yield and quality of the crops. Wani also warned that the warmer temperatures might cause early flowering of stone fruits.

Agricultural experts emphasize that a significant drop in temperature, accompanied by good snowfall, is essential for the production of high-quality apples and other crops. Many growers from both the southern and northern districts of Kashmir are anxiously awaiting snowfall. The apple industry in Kashmir is a major economic sector, producing around two million metric tonnes annually and providing livelihoods to over three million people, either directly or indirectly.