Parched Paddies, Withered Apples: Kashmir’s Climate Catastrophe

Srinagar July 31: The ongoing heat wave and dry weather conditions are severely affecting the horticulture sector and paddy cultivation in the Kashmir valley.
Kashmir is currently facing record-breaking heat, with temperatures reaching unprecedented levels. On July 28, Srinagar recorded a high of 36.2 degrees Celsius, the hottest July day in 25 years. The previous record of 37 degrees Celsius was set on July 9, 1999. The minimum temperature on the night of July 28-29 was 24.8 degrees Celsius, the second-highest in 132 years.

The lack of rainfall has resulted in low water levels in streams and rivers, exacerbating the high temperatures.
Bashir Ahmad, a resident of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district, sowed maize seeds on 15 kanals of land. “Previously, I would cultivate 20 quintals of maize and sell it for Rs 90,000. However, this time I believe production won’t exceed five quintals due to the intense heat. The maize plants have dried up,” he lamented.
Farooq Ahmad, an apple grower from North Kashmir’s Baramulla, shared similar concerns. “Over 50 percent of the apple trees in my eight kanals of orchard have withered due to dry temperatures and pest influx. We rely on natural precipitation, and the lack of rain in June and July will significantly impact production,” he said, noting that the lack of moisture is causing heavy fruit fall and sunburnt produce.
In response to these conditions, the Horticulture Department issued an advisory urging farmers to irrigate their orchards immediately. “Irrigation should be applied in the cooler hours of the day, like morning or evening,” the advisory recommended.
Farmers were also advised to use mulching to conserve soil moisture. “Mulching with organic or inorganic material, such as grass, crop residues, or plastic mulch, can conserve moisture under the canopy area,” the advisory read. Additionally, the department suggested spraying anti-transpirants to minimize transpiration loss and using multi-nutrient sprays containing calcium and boron to prevent sunburn and other disorders.
A senior official of the Horticulture Department said that over 50 percent of orchards in Kashmir depend on rainfall. “The ongoing dry weather has affected the horticulture sector, potentially resulting in undersized fruit and a decline in quality and quantity,” he said, emphasizing the importance of the advisory to minimize farmers’ losses.
Horticulture is a crucial part of Kashmir’s economy, with 700,000 families directly or indirectly involved in the sector. It contributes over eight percent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Jammu and Kashmir. More than 338,000 hectares of land in the valley are used for fruit cultivation, with 162,000 hectares dedicated to apple orchards. The main apple harvest is set to begin on August 15.
Akhtar H Malik, a junior scientist at the University of Kashmir’s Department of Botany, highlighted the widespread impact of the dry weather. “Ninety percent of crops in hilly areas are rainfed. The dry weather has severely affected production. Water canals have dried up. Our orchards, paddy, maize, pulses, and vegetable cultivation have stagnated. The humid weather has also caused various diseases, desiccating leaves,” Malik explained.