Kashmiri apples – A serious policy needed to overcome the crisis

Although millions of metric tons of apples are harvested annually in the Valley, a significant portion of it ends up as second- or third-grade fruit or is spoiled in transit. If roads are damaged, fruit doesn’t reach the market on time; traders and middlemen force farmers to sell at throwaway prices; and weather shocks consume a substantial part of the annual yield. As a result, the farmer fails to receive a just return for his backbreaking labor.

The challenges facing the apple industry are vast. The foremost hurdle is the Valley’s poor road and transport infrastructure. Frequently, apples fail to reach markets in time, leading to deterioration in quality. Another major problem is the monopoly of traders and middlemen, who exploit farmers’ compulsions by buying their produce cheaply and reselling it in metropolitan markets at exorbitant prices. Furthermore, climatic irregularities have severely damaged farmers’ fortunes. Heavy rains, hailstorms, and occasional droughts have affected millions of tons of produce. Yet, farmers lack any effective alternative or protective mechanism.

In European countries, special focus is given to the apple value chain: innovation, grading, pack houses, and export-oriented quality control. Major apple-producing nations in Europe maintain high standards to retain competitiveness in international markets. Europe shows us that with quality production, strong packaging, and branding, prices can improve significantly.

Similarly, in the U.S. particularly Washington state , cold chains, large-scale storage, pack houses, and efficient logistic networks ensure year-round market supply. Cooperative and private sector storage complexes preserve crops and prepare them for export. Iran also produces apples on a large scale and is active in concentrate/export. Its strong industrial processing and export concentrate network has boosted regional trade. Iran’s experience demonstrates that when processing industries are strong, pressure on raw markets decreases.

Closer home, in Himachal Pradesh, the apple industry has recently built a wide network of cold chains, pack houses, procurement systems, and processing plants, which have helped stabilize prices. Moreover, the government has implemented Minimum Support Price (MSP), offering relief to apple growers.

This year, due to unfavorable weather conditions, Kashmir’s apple industry has suffered heavy losses. It is therefore necessary that farmers and the government together formulate a serious roadmap for the future. The most effective step would be the establishment of cold storage centers at the tehsil or block level, so that farmers can preserve their fruit against seasonal pressure and market their produce at the right time for better prices. On a private level, a small cold storage unit (about 500 metric tons) can be set up at a cost of a few crores, while larger centers require higher investments. Such centers would relieve farmers from the pressure of distress sales and allow them to sell at more opportune times. Public-private partnerships and government subsidies can help establish these storage facilities.

Another crucial measure would be to make B-grade and C-grade apples profitable by converting them into juice, concentrate, jam, vinegar, and other products. If medium units with daily processing capacity of 20 to 50 tons and a few large plants are established at the district or sub-district level, millions of tons of fallen or low-grade apples could be saved from waste. If the government provides subsidies or soft loans for this sector, these units would directly benefit farmers while also creating new employment opportunities.

A more farmer-centric solution would be to strengthen the Horticulture Planning and Marketing Department so that the state directly procures a reasonable share of apples from orchardists. This would guarantee farmers assured prices and limit the monopoly of middlemen. Likewise, making crop insurance mandatory for apples would ensure compensation for farmers in case of natural calamities. Transparent pricing and a fair procurement mechanism would prove to be milestones for farmers’ welfare.

Repeatedly, natural disasters have devastated farmers. A single hailstorm or heavy rainfall can destroy months of hard work. In such cases, farmers are left without protection. Therefore, it is imperative that apple crops, like other agricultural crops, be brought under insurance schemes. If implemented, this would ensure fair compensation in case of calamities and save farmers from disheartenment.

Protecting Kashmir’s orchards is not just an agricultural policy issue, it is a matter of economic justice, social stability, and the preservation of cultural heritage. By learning from the success stories of Europe, the U.S., Iran, and other countries, and through immediate and coordinated measures, Kashmiri apples can regain their strength in national and international markets. Political leaders and government authorities must also realize that when farmers are in distress, political parties should play an ethical and practical role by visiting them and offering support. More than statements, what truly matters are practical policies and on-ground actions. Rather than point-scoring, it would be wiser to come together to devise a robust policy that ensures timely aid for farmers, easy access to insurance claims, subsidies, and credit. Establishing cold storage centers, juice and processing industries, and better road and rail connectivity can revive the state’s economy.