Unprecedented Fruit Fall Hits Orchards

Srinagar- Apple growers across Kashmir are reeling under fresh distress as large-scale fruit fall has been reported from orchards at the peak of the harvesting season.

Already battered by extreme weather, pest infestations, and transport disruptions, farmers say this unexpected phenomenon is pushing them toward massive financial losses.

For months, the valley's orchardists have struggled against prolonged dry spells, hailstorms, high-velocity winds, and diseases such as spider mite and rusting. Highway closures further choked the supply chain, leading to delays and rising freight costs. Now, when growers were finally ready to reap the fruits of their year-long toil, the sudden drop in apples has left them shocked.

“This is the first time in my life I am seeing apples falling from trees like this,” Abdul Rashid, an orchardist from Shopian, said.

“We worked hard the whole year, fought pests and dry weather, but now prolonged rain spells during harvest have caused the fruit to drop in large numbers. It is heartbreaking.”

Agricultural experts point to the unusual weather pattern as the main reason behind the crisis. Prolonged wet conditions, they say, weaken the fruit's stem and attachment, causing premature drop.

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