Srinagar: In a significant blow to the agricultural sector, climate change along with infrastructure developments have drastically affected apple production in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, paralleling the earlier decline seen in saffron yields. The apple harvest, a cornerstone of the region’s economy, has seen a reduction of at least 30% for the second year in a row, challenging the livelihood of thousands of local farmers.

According to Kashmir Media Service, climate fluctuations and untimely weather events, coupled with deliberate choices in Indian government infrastructure planning, are to blame. The expansion of railway lines in Shopian, once hailed as the “Fruit Bowl of Kashmir,” has led to the loss of many orchards. Experts suggest alternate routes for the railway could have minimized the impact, but these were not pursued, hinting at a possible strategic undermining of the local economy.

Farmers like Irshad Ahmad from Islamabad district report substantial decreases in apple yield due to weather extremes affecting critical growth periods and disease management. In some cases, harvests have been cut by nearly a third compared to previous years, with some farmers only able to produce 70% of last year’s yield. Jahangir Ahmad Dar, another farmer from Watchi, Shopian, has experienced an even more drastic reduction, with his harvest plummeting from 1,200 apple boxes to merely 300 this year.

The region, which typically produces over 2 million metric tonnes of apples annually, has faced repeated climatic challenges, including untimely snowfalls and recent hailstorms that have further damaged the crops. Bashir Ahmad Bashir, president of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers and Dealers Association, underscored the severe impact of these conditions, confirming a 30% drop in overall production this year. This downturn threatens the economic stability of nearly half the region’s population, who depend on apple cultivation spread over 350,000 hectares.