High-density apple orchards being set up to help farmers in Kashmir

Srinagar: In a bid to boost horticulture in the Kashmir valley, the administration is bringing in new scientific techniques and methods for the farmers to help them produce world-class fruits.

Horticulture is one of the main industries in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and contributes around 8 percent to the GDP. The Kashmiri apple is among the biggest shareholders in the horticulture Industry. The department of horticulture is trying to help the farmers with new scientific techniques and helping them in setting up high-density apple orchards.

In Budgam district, hundreds of acres of land which was used by brick kiln makers have been converted into apple orchards. This has benefited the farmers economically and the environment too, the locals said.

“The government came up with the idea of high-density orchards. It accommodates more plants plus the quality of 90-95 percent of apples is grade A,” said Javaid Ahmad Bhat, Chief Horticulture Officer, Budgam.

“This land was under the brick kiln people and we approached the farmers. We helped them with a subsidy up to 50 percent. The harvest was much more valuable than what they were getting. And now thousands of kilns have been transformed,” he added. 

''The credit for all this goes to the horticulture department. The director and Chief officer helped us. We had no apple orchards in the area and then they came to us and they told us about it. They gave us the plant and infrastructure with 50 percent subsidy. They help us with pruning and cutting. I am happy after retirement I have taken to farming,” said Ghulam Ahmad Pal, a farmer.

The farmers are now making around one lakh rupees per kanal after converting the land into orchards. This is also inspiring other people in the area to pick up apple growing.