Farmers delay harvest of Kullu apples, Nakh pears amid highway closure

Shopian, Sep 10: Apple and pear growers across Kashmir are delaying the harvest of the sought-after Kullu apple and Nakh pear varieties, fearing their produce will not reach markets as the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway remains closed for more than two weeks due to landslides triggered by heavy rains.

Dozens of truckloads of fruit have already spoiled and returned from mandis in north and south Kashmir, leaving farmers anxious that freshly picked produce could meet the same fate.

“The Kullu variety is ripe, and the fruit is now falling, but we delayed harvesting, fearing it could not be transported,” said Abdullah Rashid, an apple grower from Pulwama.

Growers in low-lying areas of Baramulla, Pulwama and parts of Shopian echoed the concern, saying they were forced to hold back despite the risk of fruit damage. “If farmers harvest now, they fear it will rot in mandis or on trucks stuck on the highway, so we are waiting,” said Mohammad Ashraf Wani, president of the Fruit Mandi Shopian.

The Kullu apple is one of the Valley’s most prized varieties, known for its ruby red colour and juicy flesh. It is usually harvested from the first week of September in low-lying orchards of apple-producing districts. “It always fetches good prices if transported to outside mandis on time,” said Tariq Ahmad, a grower from Shopian.

Farmers cultivating the Nakh pear variety are also holding back. “The Babagosh variety has already suffered huge losses. We don’t want this variety to face the same fate,” said one cultivator.

According to official figures, pears are grown on more than 14,000 hectares in Kashmir, with an annual production exceeding 85,000 metric tons. The road closure has triggered panic among growers, as perishable produce like pears risks rotting before it reaches markets.

Growers and traders estimate the losses so far at Rs 200–250 crore. On Wednesday, authorities permitted traffic to move from Udhampur towards Srinagar but did not allow fresh fruit-laden trucks to proceed from the Valley.