![\"\"](\"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/assests\/2026\/09\/Apple.jpg\")
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Srinagar: Rising temperatures and increasingly erratic weather patterns are putting major fruit economies under growing pressure in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), with apple yields in Kashmir Valley declining sharply amid rising summer temperatures.<\/p>\n
A study, published in the International Journal of Creative and Open Research in Engineering and Management, examined climate change-related agricultural losses in IIOJK, focusing on the Kashmir valley\u2019s apple and the mango economy in the Jammu region. It found that apple yields in Kashmir decline by about 6.10 per cent for every 1-degree Celsius rise in summer temperature.<\/p>\n
The impact was significantly higher in Baramulla district, where the study estimated a 19.16 per cent decline in apple yield for every 1-degree Celsius increase in summer temperature.<\/p>\n
The findings indicate that rising temperatures are posing a growing threat to one of Kashmir\u2019s most important horticultural sectors, with changes in temperature and weather conditions affecting crop productivity and quality.<\/p>\n
The study also documented substantial losses caused by recurrent hailstorms during 2025 and 2026. It said hailstorms destroyed between 50 and 90 per cent of apple crops in several districts, resulting in estimated economic losses of Rs 6,000 crore to Rs 7,000 crore.<\/p>\n
In Jammu, meanwhile, the mango economy suffered a major setback in 2026 following early heatwaves and hailstorms, with local mango arrivals declining by more than 70 per cent, according to the study.<\/p>\n
The researchers said the contrasting impacts on apples and mangoes illustrate the vulnerability of both the Himalayan and subtropical agricultural systems of occupied Jammu and Kashmir to changing climatic conditions.<\/p>\n
The study also examined saffron production in Kashmir and found that output had fallen from 15.9 metric tonnes in 1990 to 2.6 metric tonnes in 2024-25, a decline of about 68 per cent over the period.<\/p>\n
It attributed the broader agricultural risks to rising temperatures, heat extremes, drought, hailstorms and other forms of climate variability.<\/p>\n
The researchers said existing crop insurance mechanisms offered by India were inadequate to fully protect farmers from climate-related losses and called for stronger financial safety nets and climate-resilient agricultural practices.<\/p>\n
The paper called for greater investment in climate adaptation and stronger institutional support for farmers facing increasingly unpredictable growing conditions.
\nIt stressed that protecting horticulture would be important not only for agricultural incomes but also for the wider rural economy of Kashmir, where fruit cultivation supports a large number of farming households.<\/p>\n
Notably, Kashmir\u2019s apple industry, a cornerstone of the region\u2019s economy, directly and indirectly supports millions of people but continues to face inadequate support from the Indian authorities. Any disruption to this vital sector could have a ripple effect across the entire Valley, with far-reaching economic and social consequences. Kashmir watchers say the lack of adequate policy support, limited infrastructure and insufficient measures to protect local growers are further undermining region\u2019s apple economy and putting the livelihoods of millions of people at risk.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Srinagar: Rising temperatures and increasingly erratic weather patterns are putting major fruit economies under growing pressure in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), with apple yields in Kashmir Valley declining sharply amid rising summer temperatures. A study, published in the International Journal of Creative and Open Research in Engineering and Management, examined climate change-related …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":211089,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-211088","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-indian-occupied-jammu-and-kashmir"],"yoast_head":"\n