HADP Reorganises Kashmir’s Apple Economy into Integrated Value Chain; Over 10,000 Growers Apply for HD Plantation Support | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has said that a comprehensive restructuring of the Union Territory’s apple sector under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) is transforming horticulture from a seasonal activity into a market-linked value chain, strengthening incomes and improving price realisation for lakhs of farming families.

According to the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), horticulture remains the backbone of the rural economy in JK, with apples occupying a central position in supporting livelihoods across the Valley and parts of the Jammu region. Despite producing premium-quality fruit, growers had long faced structural constraints due to limited scientific grading, storage and organised marketing, resulting in distress sales during the harvest season.

The DIPR said these imbalances are now being addressed through interventions led by the Agriculture Production Department (APD) under HADP, which integrates planting material, orchard design, post-harvest management and market access into a single economic framework.

As part of Project–21, focused on the production of designer plants for high-density plantations and orchard rejuvenation, more than 10,000 applications have been received from growers. Of these, 4,500 units have been approved and over 1,500 units established across apple-growing districts within the first two years.

The programme has also strengthened the nursery ecosystem. Traditional nursery operators in south Kashmir and other regions have transitioned into integrated propagation enterprises, developing rootstock banks, mother orchards and modern nurseries to supply uniform, disease-free planting material. Officials said this ensures predictable yields, faster adoption of high-density systems and reduced risk for growers.

High-density plantations are already demonstrating improved productivity. Growers cultivating smaller areas under scientifically designed layouts are reporting higher returns compared to larger tracts under traditional orchards. Uniform tree structures, consistent fruit size and better quality have also improved labour efficiency and overall profitability.

On the post-harvest front, grading facilities are being established closer to orchard gates. The DIPR said locally run grading units in several districts now handle thousands of crates each season, enabling quality-based pricing and preventing superior fruit from being sold at average rates. The facilities are also generating rural employment.

Parallel investments in controlled-atmosphere (CA) storage and refrigerated transport have enabled growers to stagger sales and align them with market demand rather than sell under compulsion at harvest. In 2025, JK dispatched its first railway-borne apple consignment from the Valley, expanding market access and reducing dependence on road transport.

The government has also introduced digital tools to strengthen market intelligence through the Kisan Khidmat Ghar (KKG) ecosystem. Growers can now access real-time mandi prices, price forecasting by variety and grade, and disease and pest alerts linked to local weather data, enabling timely interventions and better crop management.

Improved access to information has coincided with a sharp rise in participation on national trading platforms. According to official figures, e-NAM transaction values in JK have increased from Rs 14 lakh in 2020–21 to over Rs 670 crore in the current financial year.

Efforts are also underway to promote safer and cost-effective production practices. Model orchards are demonstrating precise spraying techniques and need-based pesticide use, helping reduce chemical costs while maintaining yield and quality.

Officials said the cumulative effect of these interventions is a shift from distress-driven transactions to informed decision-making. Growers are increasingly choosing when to harvest, grade, store and sell based on market signals rather than compulsion.

With annual apple production exceeding 21 lakh metric tonnes, even marginal improvements in grading and timing of sales can have a significant economic impact, the DIPR said, adding that the growing adoption of high-density plantations and improved post-harvest practices without subsidies indicates that the reforms are becoming self-sustaining.

The government maintained that HADP is aligning nursery systems, orchard management, grading infrastructure, storage and logistics into a cohesive chain, marking a structural transformation of Jammu and Kashmir’s apple economy.