Farmers convert paddy fields into orchards, benefit from early yields, better profits
Srinagar: With demand for traditional apple varieties remaining comparatively low in the market, more growers in Kashmir are switching over to high-density apple cultivation, especially in low-lying areas where paddy land is now being converted into orchards at a rapid pace.
Growers from several areas of Kashmir told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that until a few years ago, many areas had no history of apple orchards. But after a few farmers experimented with high-density apple varieties and recorded remarkable success — both in terms of production and returns — more and more people started shifting from paddy to horticulture, they said.
They added that apples are being grown in every corner of Kashmir as paddy lands are being converted into the horticulture sector. “Earlier, we never thought that this land could produce apples at all,” the growers said, adding that “after seeing the results on some private plots, almost everyone has now started planting high-density varieties.”
High-density apple farming was introduced in Kashmir after 2015. These trees start yielding fruit as early as the first or second year and reach full production by the fourth or fifth year. The traditional apple trees, on the other hand, usually take nearly 10 years to bear fruit and are harvested late in the season, mostly in November — a period vulnerable to untimely snowfall.
High-density orchardists say the early harvest (August-September) and availability of protective measures against hailstorms have made the new cultivation system more economically secure.
Mohammad Amin Dar, a farmer from a low-lying area of Shopian who has planted high-density apples on 8 kanals of land, said the trend is driven by practical benefits.
“People have noticed the advantages of high-density apples. We have now prepared another 12 kanals and will convert that too into a high-density orchard,” Dar said. “These trees need less labour and inputs, yet the fruit is of superior quality — uniform colour, uniform size, and better grade. That is why they fetch double the rates compared to traditional apples.”
Varieties like Jeromine, King Roat, Gala Scarlet, Red Velox, Scarlet Spur-II, Super Chief, Redlum Gala and Auvi Fuji, RD 11, Syncho Gala, Terex Gal, Z 1, and SS2 are among the most popular high-density cultivars currently grown in J&K.
Another grower, Farooq Ahmad, said that in the Lassipora area of Pulwama alone, thousands of high-density plants are being planted this year. “Hundreds of kanals of paddy land are being converted into these orchards now because the economics are simply better,” he said.
Officials in the horticulture department said the shift involves modern planting systems, advanced pruning techniques, drip irrigation, fertigation and technology-based monitoring.
“This entire approach is transformative,” said an official. “It is attracting attention from the apple experts across India. Farmers are embracing it because they clearly see the higher productivity potential and financial returns.”
According to official figures, over 1000 hectares of land have already been brought under high-density apple farming in J&K so far, with plans to expand the coverage to 5,500 hectares in the next few years. The horticulture department is currently offering a 50 per cent subsidy for orchardists who establish or convert to high-density systems.
It was in September 2015 that the then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed inaugurated the first-ever high-density apple orchard in Bamdoora, Anantnag — marking the official beginning of the transition in Kashmir’s horticulture sector.
Kashmir produces on average over 20 lakh metric tonnes of apples every year — a figure that in some years touches 25 lakh MT. According to the J&K Economic Survey-2017, nearly half of Kashmir’s population is directly or indirectly dependent on the apple industry. More than 3.5 lakh hectares are under apple cultivation in the region currently.
Horticulture contributes around 9.5 per cent to J&K’s GDP, while about 8.5 crore man-days of employment are generated annually through this sector, making it one of the most vital pillars of Kashmir’s economy—(KNO)
