Letter To Editor: Disasters Compound Kashmir's Economic Woes In 2025

The year 2025 has tested Jammu and Kashmir in ways few could have imagined. A region already dependent on tourism and horticulture now faces a string of shocks that have shaken livelihoods and threatened economic stability. From violent attacks to floods, each disaster has piled onto the last, leaving communities struggling to recover. But, amid the chaos, people continue to hold on to hope: after every night comes a dawn.

Tourism, the backbone of the valley's economy, suffered first. The April attack in Pahalgam brought a sudden halt to the spring season. Hotels, guesthouses, shikaras, taxis, and small traders faced empty bookings and unpaid loans. Families who depended on daily earnings found themselves without work, and businesses that had expanded in anticipation of the season now faced mounting debts. The collapse was both economic and deeply personal, a loss of dignity for thousands of breadwinners.

Before recovery could even begin, August brought devastating floods to Jammu and Kashmir. Many compared the scale to the infamous 2014 floods, but this disaster spread wider and hit harder. Villages were submerged, roads and bridges destroyed, and access to essential supplies cut off. Shops lost stock, farmers lost crops, and rebuilding homes became another financial burden. Schools, hospitals, and government offices were left waterlogged, setting back development by years.

September repeated the nightmare, this time engulfing Kashmir itself. Late-season crops, especially apples, suffered heavy losses. Unusually moist and cloudy weather caused premature fruit drop, while flood-damaged roads delayed transport, reducing both freshness and market value. For families who depend on horticulture, the losses were devastating. Reduced income will ripple through towns, affecting traders, transporters, and everyday spending.

The interconnectedness of these sectors makes the situation more severe. When tourism collapses, service workers cannot repay loans. When floods hit, farmers lose both crops and infrastructure. And when horticulture fails, rural incomes drop, shrinking demand across the region.

The economic toll is human lives disrupted: the taxi driver with a loaned vehicle, the apple grower watching the harvest rot, and the shopkeeper surrounded by mud.

These crises highlight the urgent need for strong policy support. Crop insurance schemes must deliver in times of need, highways must withstand climate shocks, and tourism requires long-term confidence-building measures. Economic diversification into manufacturing, IT, and small industries could provide sustainable livelihoods and reduce reliance on seasonal sectors.

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