Apple cultivation in Kashmir is more than an agricultural pursuit — it is heritage, culture, and the foundation of rural livelihood. Over seven lakh families depend directly or indirectly on this industry, contributing over Rs. 10,000–15,000 crore annually to the region’s economy. Yet this lifeline of the valley stands at a critical turning point. Climate change, once a theoretical concern, is now an everyday reality reshaping Kashmir’s orchards, productivity, and livelihoods.
The climate over the past two years has turned dramatically inconsistent. In 2025, regions once immune to hailstorms — including Pulwama, Anantnag, Sopore, and Ganderbal — were battered by severe hail that shredded canopies and flattened orchards. Cloudbursts and flash floods have become disturbingly frequent, eroding fertile soils and damaging tree roots. Extended heat spells in early spring, followed by unseasonal rains, have disrupted fruiting cycles and stressed trees beyond recovery in many areas.
Warmer temperatures are now triggering premature blooming, leaving blossoms vulnerable to late frost and strong winds. Over the last three decades, average temperatures in the valley have risen between 0.44°C and 0.59°C, significantly reducing the chilling-hour accumulation essential for high-chill crops like apples and walnuts. As orchardists across the region lament, the trees of Kashmir no longer bloom to the old rhythms.
This year, however, brought an even more unusual and alarming phenomenon — widespread autumn blooming in several orchards across Kashmir. Pear and Apple trees in parts of Shopian, Ganderbal, Anantnag, Pulwama and Baramulla have burst into bloom at a scale never before witnessed in the autumn season. Such unseasonal flowering reflects the severe physiological stress trees endured during the growing season, driven by erratic heat, uneven rainfall, and abrupt temperature drops. The return of blossoms in October, a time meant for dormancy, is nature’s sign of distress — a warning of deeper climate-induced imbalance.
“Earlier, we could predict when our trees would bloom; now we live in constant uncertainty,” say Abdul Rahim of Shopian and Abdul Samad of Anantnag. “A single night of frost or a hailstorm can erase an entire year’s effort.”
Yet all is not lost. With scientific guidance, resilient crop varieties, and adaptive orchard management, Kashmir’s fruit industry can overcome these shifting climatic hurdles. Timely policy interventions, investment in research, and farmer training in climate-smart practices are essential to safeguard this centuries-old heritage. The valley’s orchards can still bloom — not merely as relics of tradition, but as resilient models of sustainability in a warming world.

The Silent Blow: Pre-Harvest Fruit Drop

Adding to the distress, widespread pre-harvest fruit drop this season inflicted an estimated ₹1500-3,000 crore loss on the valley’s apple economy. Alternating phases of heat and moisture stress, combined with pest attacks and hormonal imbalance in trees, led to abnormal fruit shedding across large tracts of orchards. With delayed transport and poor market recovery, farmers faced unprecedented economic strain.

Pest Pressures Mounting Under Warming Temperatures

The warming climate has also unleashed a new wave of pest challenges. The Apple Blotch Leaf Miner (ABLM) — an invasive pest — has multiplied rapidly, completing several generations in a single growing season. Aphids and spider mites have likewise thrived under warmer, drier conditions, forcing growers into frequent pesticide sprays. This year also brought a new and worrisome development: reports of fruit fly infestations inside harvested apples from certain parts of South Kashmir. Such outbreaks threaten both fruit quality and export standards, adding a fresh layer of concern for the industry.
Farmers continue to struggle to manage these fast-evolving insect-pest complexes amid limited access to effective, eco-safe control options.

A Roadmap for Climate-Resilient Horticulture

Kashmir’s fruit industry now demands a proactive and science-driven adaptation strategy. The focus should extend beyond reacting to weather shocks — it must involve redesigning orchard systems and farming practices to thrive in the new climate reality.

Key Strategies for Building Climate Resilience in Kashmir’s Fruit Industry
Crop and Variety Diversification:

Introducing climate-resilient cultivars and diversifying orchard species is critical to maintaining yield stability under unpredictable climatic conditions. In addition to low-chill apple and pear varieties, commercially scalable fruit crops such as cherries, plums, kiwis, and grapes should be expanded in suitable agro-climatic zones of Kashmir. Such diversification not only spreads economic risk but also enhances the valley’s horticultural portfolio to meet changing market demands. Furthermore, early maturing cultivars with rapid color development should be preferentially cultivated in low- to mid-altitude areas, which depend less on cool and dry climates for proper coloration and fruit quality.
High-Density Orcharding

Promote high-density orchard systems equipped with micro-irrigation, anti-hail nets, frost shields, and improved canopy management for superior efficiency and protection. These systems enable better resource use and faster adaptation to evolving weather extremes, making orchards more resilient and productive per unit area.

Soil and Moisture Conservation

Adopt mulching, contour bunding, drip irrigation, and rainwater harvesting to alleviate drought stress and curb soil erosion. These measures improve soil structure, safeguard nutrient reserves, and stabilize root health across diverse fruit species, especially in erosion-prone foothill zones.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Encourage eco-friendly pest control through biological agents, predator conservation, and reduced chemical dependence. Reinforcing pollinator habitats and using pheromone traps can minimize pest outbreaks while preserving ecological balance essential for sustained fruiting.

Research and Innovation

Strengthen SKUAST-Kashmir’s research programs dedicated to climate-resilient fruit breeding, pest and disease forecasting models, and low-cost management technologies. Emphasis should be placed on understanding phenological shifts, chill-hour reduction, and adaptive responses across emerging fruit species like kiwis and cherries.

Policy and Institutional Support

Expand crop insurance schemes to cover apples, walnuts, and other high-value fruits with commercial potential. Introduce emergency procurement for damaged harvests, incentivize diversification-based orchard conversions, and organize farmer training on climate-smart horticultural technologies. Strong coordination among research institutions, policymakers, and industry stakeholders will be vital in transforming Kashmir’s fruit sector into a resilient and sustainable pillar of regional prosperity.

A Shared Responsibility

Kashmir’s apple growers have long withstood adversity — from unpredictable markets to harsh winters. But climate change has added a deeper, structural challenge that requires collaboration between science, policy, and community action. Building trust between institutions and farmers, supported by real-time weather alerts and evidence-based advisory services, will be critical for the sector’s survival.

Hope in the Orchard

Behind every fallen apple lies a story of resilience and faith. Despite mounting challenges, growers continue to nurture their orchards, believing in nature’s capacity for renewal. With timely scientific guidance, responsible policy support, and collective resolve, Kashmir’s orchards can adapt — and continue to bloom as symbols of endurance, sustainability, and hope.

Emails: ishtiyaqkhan7@gmail.com / anantnagkvk@gmail.com