Kashmiri apple trade restored after floods

Jammu and Kashmir's apple trade has been restarted, which had hit a slump during the floods, after the reconstruction of a major road which had been left damaged because of the heavy rainfall.

The arterial Mughal road in Kashmir, which connects the mountainous valley with the foothills of the state, was rendered inaccessible following landslides caused by the recent heavy rainfall but has now been reconstructed and thrown open to traffic. The farmers can now come to the markets and sell their crop.

The worst flooding in over a century had hampered the trade of Kashmiri apple, which is known world over for its taste and juice. The apple growers also faced losses due to the devastation caused by the floods as it damaged their crop.

"We suffered many losses as our crops were ruined. We came to Poonch to sell our crop after the road was opened. So now we are managing to make some profit and the traders can also benefit," said a farmer, Nisar Ahmed, who had come to Poonch district to sell his apples today.

Kashmiri apples, whose price generally wavers around rupees 100 per kilogram are now being sold for rupees 20 per kilogram.

A report by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), an apex Indian trade association, said that the Kashmir floods had cost the Kashmiri apple industry rupees 1,000 crore approximately.

More than 2.5 million people, directly associated with this trade, have also suffered losses.

However, the slump in the Kashmiri apple trade gave a boost to the apples of hill town of Shimla in northern state of Himachal Pradesh, which are a major competitor for the Kashmiri ones.

"Because of the Kashmir floods, the crop there could not come into the markets. So the Shimla apples are being sold at high rates," said Balraj Sharma, a trader.

"A crate of Shimla apples, which generally sell for rupees 1,000 - 1,200 are now being sold between rupees 1,700-1,800 because of the slump in the Kashmiri apples," the trader added.

Apples are harvested, graded, according to their size and quality and then packed in boxes at the orchards itself.

Kashmiri apples are in great demand in domestic as well as international market due to their quality.

The picturesque Himalayan region of Kashmir is famous for its apples where tens of thousands of people are involved in the production of the fruit.