High-density apple farming boosts Kashmir’s horticulture

SRINAGAR — High-density apple cultivation continues to revolutionise Kashmir’s horticulture sector by offering farmers good returns compared to traditional varieties.

An official from the Horticulture Department, quoted by the news agency KNO, said that the demand for high-density apple farming is increasing as more farmers convert their land to this lucrative method.

Growers across the valley said that high-density apple farming has changed the landscape of horticulture, with good profits realised just one year after planting.

Farmers transitioning to high-density cultivation are finding great success. One grower, Mohammad Ayoub, said he earned only Rs 100,000 from traditional apple trees on his three kanals of land. “After switching to high-density apples, my earnings soared to Rs 600,000 in just the second year, which made me consider expanding my high-density acreage,” he said.

Introduced in Kashmir after 2015, high-density apple varieties produce fruit much sooner than traditional trees, which typically take 15 years to bear fruit. High-density plants yield fruit within the first or second year and reach full production by the fourth or fifth year. Harvesting occurs in August-September. This minimises risks from early snowfall, which can damage late-harvested traditional apples.

Currently, popular high-density varieties include Jeromine, King Roat, Gala Scarlet, Red Velox, Scarlet Spur-II, Super Chief, Redlum Gala and Auvi Fuji.

Experts say that while the quality of local high-density apples can compete with international varieties, improvements in grading practices are essential for market competitiveness.

According to officials, high-density apple orchards are transforming the sector, with nurseries being established to meet the growing demand. “Orchardists receive a 50% subsidy for establishing high-density fruit orchards,” an official said, adding that the demand for high-density apple trees is so high that some growers must wait a year or more to receive trees sourced from other countries.

Under a modified high-density plantation scheme, the government aims to bring 5,500 hectares of land in Jammu and Kashmir under high-density apple cultivation by 2026, he added.

Notably, the first high-density apple orchard in the region was inaugurated by former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in September 2015 at Bamdoora, Anantnag district.

Kashmir produces over 2 million metric tonnes of apples annually, sometimes reaching 2.5 million metric tonnes.

According to the 2017 economic survey, half of Kashmir’s population relies on the apple industry, with over 350,000 hectares dedicated to apple cultivation. Horticulture contributes approximately 9.5% to the state’s gross domestic product (SGDP) and generates 8.5 crore man-days of employment annually in Jammu and Kashmir.