Apple growers found that 2023 was an eventful year for south Kashmir. Over the last 12 months, the area comprising Anantnag, Shopian, Pulwama, and Kulgam districts, witnessed a flurry of apple-related conferences, developmental projects and - comparatively - an improved security situation.
Over the last few years, the apple farmers grappled with losses due to low prices, weather vagaries, and perennial closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, spurring various farmer organisations to raise their voices in an attempt to save the apple industry and demand better prices for their harvest.
In July 2023, the Apple Farmers Federation of India (AFFI) in collaboration with Jammu and Kashmir KissanTehreek held the first apple national conference in Shopian. It was followed by other district-level conferences held in Kulgam, Pulwama, and Anantnag districts. Thousands of apple farmers participated in these conferences, sporting the motto ‘Save Apple, Save Kashmir’.
Erratic weather conditions in May and June followed by multiple spells of hailstorms left the apple farmers in various apple-producing areas of south Kashmir distraught. Also, the comparatively low apple production this year remained a worrying aspect.
However, the good apple prices helped alleviate their worries. More or less the seamless movement of trucks of apple-laden trucks also provided a respite to the apple farmers.
Source: focustaiwan.tw