'70 crop damaged in Pulwama, Kulgam': Kashmir apple industry suffers Rs 200 crore loss as floods wreck harvest

September 6, 2025 by News Desk

Torrential rains and widespread flooding have devastated Kashmir’s apple industry, inflicting losses estimated at over Rs 200 crore at the peak of the harvest season.

In Pulwama and Kulgam, once-brimming orchards now lie submerged under knee-deep water. Farmers report that in some areas nearly 70 percent of the crop has been destroyed, with many fully grown trees uprooted, threatening long-term productivity.

The crisis has been worsened by the repeated closure of the Srinagar–Jammu national highway due to landslides. Hundreds of trucks carrying apples remain stranded, while delays have forced traders to discard rotting produce by the roadside. The Mughal Road, the only alternative route, can accommodate only smaller vehicles, limiting supplies to outside markets.

What was hailed as the best crop in decades has turned into a disaster reminiscent of the 2014 floods, when Kashmir’s horticulture sector suffered losses exceeding Rs 1,000 crore. This year’s blow comes after two difficult seasons marked by falling prices due to bumper harvests in Himachal Pradesh and an influx of imported apples.

Farmers warn that without urgent intervention, the Valley could face irreversible damage to its horticultural base. “This is not just about one harvest, it is about the survival of our orchards for the future,” a grower in Kulgam said.

Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti has urged the Union government to introduce dedicated train services between the Valley and Delhi to ensure uninterrupted fruit transport while roads remain blocked.