Climate change hits orchards
A prolonged dry spell, marked by the absence of snowfall and unusually warm winter temperatures, has begun to worry apple growers across Kashmir, many of whom say the season no longer behaves the way it once did.
Apple cultivation in the Valley depends heavily on winter cold. The trees need sustained low temperatures to enter dormancy, a resting phase that allows them to reset before spring. When winters are warmer and snowfall is scant, that cycle is disturbed. Trees remain dormant for a shorter period, buds can break earlier than expected, and orchards become vulnerable to sudden cold snaps later in the season.
Growers say this growing unpredictability is at the heart of the anxiety gripping apple belts in both north and south Kashmir. What was once a clearly defined winter increasingly feels like an extended early spring. An untimely frost, even for a night or two, can damage buds and flowers, undoing months of labour.
Early blooming, farmers point out, is not a sign of a good harvest. It often results in uneven flowering and weak fruit setting, leading to lower yields.
The lack of snowfall also creates problems that are less immediately visible. Snow traditionally acts as a slow-release water source, replenishing groundwater and keeping soils moist well into summer. Without it, orchards risk moisture stress during the crucial fruit-development stage. This can affect not just how much fruit is produced, but its size, colour and taste, qualities on which Kashmir’s apples have built their reputation.
The concern extends beyond individual farms. Apples form the backbone of Kashmir’s horticultural economy, supporting thousands of families involved in growing, grading, packaging, transport and trade. Any sustained decline in production would have a cascading effect, with small and marginal growers bearing the brunt. For many households, apple income is not an additional earning, it is the only one.
For growers, the changing winters underline a larger reality. Climate change is no longer a distant or theoretical threat; it is reshaping farming decisions in real time. Many say the situation cannot be addressed by waiting for a late snowfall or hoping for a normal season.
What is needed, experts argue, is long-term adaptation: better weather forecasting at the local level, improved water-management systems, investment in climate-resilient horticultural practices, and policy support that recognises the increasing vulnerability of Kashmir’s growers. Without such measures, the uncertainty haunting orchards today may soon become the new normal.
