Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 11: While apple growers in the Manasbal area of district Ganderbal are pleased with the overall production this year, they expressed concerns about the quality due to adverse weather conditions.
Several growers told ‘Excelsior’ that untimely rain and weather changes have affected the quality of apples, resulting in lower demand in the market.
One of the growers, Ghulam Mohiudin, noted that the dry spell significantly impacted production and led to the spread of various diseases, which were managed through timely intervention.
“Overall, the production is good, but the dry spell affected it. We had untimely rain at a time when it was not needed. There were also diseases such as scab and red mites, which we treated ourselves,” he said.
It is important to mention here that apple harvesting has been ongoing for the past few months, beginning with high-density apples, followed by Delicious and American varieties.
The growers also raised concerns about the lack of attention from the Horticulture Department, stating that officials rarely visit the orchards to conduct on-the-ground assessments.
Another grower, Ghulam Muhammad Bhat, said: “Whatever measures we take are based on our own experience; the officials hardly visit the orchards. They just issue advisories from their offices, and that’s it.”
The growers, who have worked hard to improve both the quality and quantity of their crops, noted that apples from Kashmir are not fetching appropriate prices this year.
“The lack of color in the apples this year is the main issue. We’re not getting the expected rates because color is crucial in determining the price. In a way, we can say the market is down,” the growers said.
Madan Lal, Chief Horticulture Officer, Ganderbal, said that it is not possible for the department to reach every grower, but they issue necessary advisories when needed to support growers and their production.
“This year, the weather has not been a major factor. There was a hailstorm during flowering, but it didn’t have much effect. The changes in temperature may have prevented a bumper crop, but overall, the production has been better,” he said.
He also mentioned that in Ganderbal, the total area under apple cultivation is 7,808 hectares, with annual production exceeding 100,000 metric tons.
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