Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Aug 21: High-density apple farming is proving to be a game-changer for the apple industry in Jammu & Kashmir, with growers saying it fetches good returns.
Farmers across the valley expressed satisfaction with the income generated from high-density apple farming.
Introduced in the region after 2015, high-density apple varieties have quickly gained popularity among growers. Unlike traditional apple trees, which take about ten years to start bearing fruit, high-density apple trees begin producing apples just one year after planting and reach full production by the fourth or fifth year.
This early yield, coupled with a harvest season in August, helped farmers avoid the risk of damage from untimely snowfall, a common issue with traditional apple varieties that are harvested in November.
Mohammad Abbas, a farmer from Pulwama with eight kanals of high-density apple orchards, said the benefits of this farming method are clear. “High-density apple farming requires lower input and labour costs, and the apples produced are of superior quality with consistent colour and size,” he said, adding, “Varieties like Jeromine, King Roat, Gala Scarlet, Red Velox, Scarlet Spur-II, Super Chief, Redlum Gala, and Auvi Fuji are currently being grown in the region.”
According to growers, these high-density apples are commanding prices of Rs 100-140 per kg, nearly double the Rs 50 per kg rate for traditional varieties.
Shakeel Ahmad, another grower, highlighted the advantages, saying that high-density plants start yielding fruit in the first year and consistently produce large crops every year with minimal fertilizer and pesticide requirements.
The positive returns from high-density apple farming are encouraging more farmers to consider this method.
Horticulture officials said that approximately 800 hectares of land in J&K have already been converted to high-density apple farming.
An official said the department plans to expand this to 5,500 hectares in the coming years. “The government is supporting this transition by offering a 50 percent subsidy to orchardists who establish or switch to high-density fruit production,” he said.
The high-density apple farming initiative was first launched in September 2015 by then J&K Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who inaugurated the region’s first high-density apple orchard in Bamdoora, Anantnag.
Kashmir produces an average of over 20 lakh metric tonnes of apples annually, with this figure sometimes reaching 25 lakh metric tonnes.
The apple industry is crucial to the region’s economy, directly or indirectly supporting half of Kashmir’s population and contributing about 9.5 percent to the the State Gross Domestic Product (SGDP). The sector also generates approximately 8.50 crore man-days of employment annually in J&K.
