From boom to breakdown: Ganderbal’s melon fields in distress

Srinagar, Aug 4: Batwina, a small village tucked along the Sindh stream in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, has earned the nickname “Chhota Punjab” thanks to its thriving watermelon cultivation. But this season, the mood is grim. Dozens of farmers are staring at heavy losses after their crops were hit by disease, and they claim the government has turned a blind eye to their plight.

“This area produces tons of watermelons every year. People from different parts of the Valley come here to buy directly from our fields,” said Abdul Ahad, a grower in his late 40s. “But this year, our plants got affected by some disease. We tried everything we could, but the damage was done before we even got a proper response from the authorities.”

Farmers say that changing weather conditions, rising humidity, and unchecked pest infestations have made watermelon farming increasingly risky. “We applied apple fungicides on our own. But we knew ourselves that watermelon needs specific treatment. Nobody from the department came to inspect properly,” said Bashir Ahmad, who owns nearly four kanals of watermelon land.

Another farmer, Ghulam Rasool, said they had informed the horticulture and agriculture departments when they first noticed the disease in June. “We made several calls, requested them to visit our fields. They sent a junior official who just said, ‘Apply fungicides.’ That’s not enough. We need expert advice, soil testing, crop-specific medicine,” he said.

“We don’t even know what the exact disease was—whether it was anthracnose, fusarium, or some pest. We’re just guessing. That’s how we work here—on guesswork,” said Junaid, a young grower trying to expand his family’s small farming unit.

Locals also pointed out that while Batwina contributes significantly to the local fruit and vegetable economy, there has been no effort to set up a dedicated support system for non-apple crops. “Everything in Kashmir is focused on apples. We are not even asking for subsidies. We just want technical help and timely advice,” said Mohammad Shafi, another cultivator.

The farmers say that repeated pleas for crop insurance, weather-related support, and disease mitigation schemes have gone unheard. “If this continues, we will be forced to stop watermelon farming altogether. We simply can’t afford these losses year after year,” said an elderly grower.

They appealed to the Agriculture Department and the Horticulture Department to conduct field surveys in Batwina and extend technical and financial assistance to help save this unique watermelon-growing belt of the Valley.

“We have put in years of effort to make Batwina known for watermelons. But if this neglect continues, *Chhota Punjab* may be remembered for its collapse,” said Ghulam Nabi, a local elder.