The apple growers in Kashmir are staring at heavy losses due to outbreak of scab fungus in the apple orchards and slashing of import duty on US apples.
The apple growers in various parts of Central Kashmir are deeply concerned due to the impact of scab-fungus venturia inaequalis on their apple crops, resulting in substantial losses for farmers.
In the Dachnipora area of Anantnag, South Kashmir, the orchardists have faced significant challenges related to the scab disease.
More than seven lakh apple-growing families are dependent on Kashmir’s Rs 12,000-crore apple industry. The region produces 22 lakh MT of apple annually.
Irshad, a resident of Kremshore village in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district, is one of the farmers affected by the outbreak of scab in his orchard.
His village boasts hundreds of hectares of apple orchards, cultivating various apple varieties like delicious, golden, and kullu.
Irshad, who cultivates apples on 12 kanals of land (approximately 0.607 hectares), said, “I am planning to remove all the apple trees and return to rice cultivation because I have been facing losses since 2020.”
“Just 20 days ago, I was getting Rs 650 per apple box. Now, after the outbreak of scab disease, I am willing to sell it at half the price. However, the fruit’s condition is so poor that no one is willing to buy it. I have invested lakhs in this orchard and was expecting at least Rs 5 lakhs in returns, but now I fear I will have to let this fruit rot here.”
Irshad attributes this issue to substandard pesticides and unpredictable weather conditions, as well as the import of apple trees from Europe without adequate quarantine measures.
Another farmer from Charar-i-Sharief village in Budgam district attributes the scab disease to unseasonal rainfall in July during the blossom period, which affected the apples.
The outbreak of scam in apple orchards has added the woes of the apple growers, who are very concerned about the recent revision of tariff on the premium Washington apple.
They are concerned after New Delhi slashed an additional 20 per cent from the previously imposed 70 per cent tariff on premium Washington apple during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States.
An apple grower Abdul Aziz said reducing import duty on US apples will find no takers for Kashmiri apples in Indian markets.
“Imported apples from the US and other countries boast of impeccable quality, exhibiting vibrant colours and substantial size. Our apples excel only in flavour. Obviously, consumers are attracted to the visual appeal of the apple,” he said. “The imported apples enter the market at significantly lower price points due to the subsidies provided to them by their respective governments”.
Aziz said Indian market should prioritise indigenous apple growers and that is why they are advocate 100 per cent import duty to encourage the local apple growers.