Erratic weather triggers heavy fruit drop in apple orchards

Apple growers across major fruit-producing districts of Kashmir are expressing concern over unusually high fruit drop and poor fruit set this season, blaming erratic weather conditions during the critical flowering period for the damage.

Farmers from Shopian, Pulwama, Anantnag and Kulgam said fluctuating temperatures during February and March disrupted the natural pollination cycle, resulting in widespread crop stress and reduced fruit retention in orchards.

According to growers, temperatures during February remained 2°C to 10°C above normal, leading to early flowering in apple trees. However, the sudden fall in temperature that followed adversely affected pollination activity at a crucial stage.

Experts attribute the problem largely to reduced insect activity during the flowering period.

Dr Waseem Ahmad, Assistant Professor at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, said low temperatures during flowering prevented pollinating insects from becoming active.

“Due to cold conditions, the flying insects responsible for pollination remained inactive. Poor pollination ultimately leads to fruit drop,” he said.

The situation has triggered anxiety among orchardists, many of whom say the fruit set this season is significantly below expectations. Farmers fear the reduced yield could severely impact their earnings, particularly in south Kashmir’s apple-growing belt, where horticulture remains the backbone of the rural economy.

Tariq Ahmad Mir, a prominent apple grower from Shopian, described the situation as “deeply worrying” for the farming community. He said excessive fruit drop is likely to result in substantial losses, affecting both production and fruit quality this year.

Mir also noted that excessive use of plant growth regulators (PGRs) in some orchards may have compounded the issue of fruit retention, although experts maintain that adverse weather conditions remain the primary cause.

Another orchardist said farmers continue to remain vulnerable to unpredictable weather patterns and lack adequate safeguards against crop losses.

“In the absence of a proper safety net, farmers will continue to suffer losses,” he said.