Syed Malikha Jahan, Dhaar Mehak M.
Horticulture is one of the most important and growing sectors of the Jammu and Kashmir(J&K) economy. A bulging part of the region’s Gross Domestic Product (GSDP) is contributed by the horticulture and the allied sectors. The sector is increasingly being associated with the strengthening of the financial condition of the region, poverty alleviation and employment generation. A variety of horticulture products like apple, plum, pear, cherry, almond, walnut, saffron, among many other products from the sector have been earning a worldwide fame mostly because of their exceptionally good quality and taste. Jammu and Kashmir’s Horticulture has been manifesting dynamic progress. It is being realized most visibly in the form of its 08% contribution to the region’s GSDP. According to the data shared by the Government of J&K, 7.5 lakh families consisting of more than 35 lakh people living across J&K are associated directly and indirectly with this sector.
One of the most important and the major products of J&K’s horticulture is the apple. The major portion of land under horticulture production in J&K falls under apple production. It is the most sought-after primary sector activity that the landed class of people in the region have been preferring over the period of past two to three decades. A number of (growing) varieties of apple are being produced in Kashmir including Hazratbali, Chemora, American Apple, Delicious, Razakwari, Maharaji, and Ambri (Hanief, 2023).The district of Baramulla contemporarily is the largest producer of apples followed by Anantnag and Shopian. The most commonly produced apple in Kashmir is the Red Delicious variety.It is red in colour and its texture is appealing to the eyes. This variety is also commercially more profitable with growing national and international market demand.
The hotspot of Apple cultivation in India is the region of Kashmir. 78% of India’s total annual apple output which is around 25-26 lakh metric tonnes (MTs) is produced by Kashmir region. The apple industry with its direct and indirect ventures is Kashmir’s largest employment generator, providing 400 man-days of work per year per hectare of orchards, employing 3.5 million people, and contributing about 08% to its GSDP. Based on the current trend it is expected that the GSDP, employment and output of the apple segment of the horticulture sector in J&Kwill increase manifold in the coming decades.
One of the main reasons behind such predictions is the growth of high-density apple cultivation across the Kashmir valley. High density cultivation refers to the planting of high number of plants per unit of area, having high production and productivity in a smaller period of time. In September 2015, the then Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed inaugurated the state’s first-ever high-density apple orchard at Bamdoora in Anantnag district of south Kashmir. High density apple plants were first imported from Italy by horticulture department of the state. Realizing the positive returns from the sector, the Government implemented the high-density plantation scheme through private enterprises in 2017.The scheme was a 100% state funded scheme attempting to boost the sector across the whole region. The objective of this scheme was to increase the production and productivity and to increase the farmers’ income, incentivising the apple growing class towards switching from traditional to modern high-density farming. This scheme was modified in 2021, and varieties of fruits covered under it were diversified to include; cherry, walnut, almond, mango, olive and other feasible products. The latter scheme is effective till 2026.
There are a number of varieties of high-density apples. Some of the most popular ones locally include; Jeromine, King Roat, Gala Scarlet, Red Velox, Scarlet Spur-II, Super Chief, Redlum Gala, and Auvi Fuji. Given the geographic and environmental feasibility, the red gala is planted the most as it is best suited for Kashmir’s weather and soil. The High density apple plantation became more popular after 2019. It was observed across all districts of Jammu and Kashmir (especially south Kashmir) that most of the farmers converted their traditional orchards into high density apple orchards. These plants are made available with various private firms as well as the public sector outlets like the Department of Horticulture Jammu and Kashmir.
The high-density apple plants are comparatively highly productive and produce”A” grade apples in high proportion. The end result is the sale of the output at very high prices in the open market.There are two ways of establishing high density apple orchards. The most common technique being the top grafting and direct plantation of high-density apple plants. The technique of top grafting on the existing apple trees is cheap and more productive, but it requires skilled labour and high maintenance than the direct plantation, and they are more likely to be infected by the diseases. Direct plantation of high-density apples which is the second way,is less likely to be infected by the diseases and consumes less than 80% of fertilizers and pesticides, leading to low maintenance cost while simultaneously being highly productive.
The costs incurred in setting up of a high-density apple orchard (including plantation, drip irrigation, technical assistance etc.) is approximately one to two lakh rupees per kanal of land. For each kanal, the Government provides 50% subsidy to the farmer. Around 120 to 150 plants can be planted in an area of one kanal, were each plant costs around Rs.250 to Rs.300 depending on the variety. High density apple plants produce their first crop from second year of their plantation. It does not give much production and doesn’t cover the investment incurred in the plantation during the second year and requires more labour and cost (fertilizers, irrigation, maintenance, etc.) during the first two years. It reaches to full productivity in the fourth year and gives returns on investment within a period of three years.A single plant can produce one to three apples after one year and full production after four years. High density apple plants start blooming in the month of March and April. With in a period of six months, they are ready to be harvested. The harvesting season is in tandem with the regular apple produce of the region beginning in the end of July and early August.
(The authors are affiliated with the Department of Economics, Islamic University of Science and Technology)
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