Dr Nisar Farhad
drnisarfarhadku@gmail.com
Recently, my younger brother, Aadil Gul Farhad, encouraged me to adopt high-density apple plantation on our ancestral land. After extensive discussions and careful on-ground observation, we finally decided to embrace this shift. The trellis system was installed by Dar Sajad and his team, while Mema Galla 5+ apple plants were procured from Fruits Care Agro, Mohali (Chandigarh), a leading horticulture enterprise headed by its CEO, Mr. Jaidev Kotwal, through a local dealer, Bilal Ahmad Mir, who operates under the name Apple Care in Pulwama. The investment was substantial—approximately ₹1.70 lakh per kanal—a figure that itself underlines how fundamentally different this modern system is from the traditional orchards inherited from previous generations.
Yet as the old trees were replaced, a deeper question lingered: What lies ahead for Kashmir’s horticulture? We are not merely changing a farming technique; we are gradually replacing the very trees that shaped Kashmir’s cultural and agricultural identity. Kashmir remains the only region capable of producing classic Delicious and Kullu (Kalu) apple varieties, prized not only for taste but also for their excellent cold storage capacity. The decision, therefore, is not just economic but it is historical, ecological and emotional.
This article does not argue for or against high-density apple farming. Instead, it presents a scientific scenario—what research tells us about this shift and what it may mean for the future of Kashmir’s orchards.
Walk through an apple orchard in Kashmir today and the change is unmistakable. The tall, spreading trees that once defined the Valley’s countryside are steadily giving way to shorter plants trained on wires, planted in tight and disciplined rows. At first glance, the transformation appears cosmetic, a modern facelift for an old occupation. Science, however, reveals a far more consequential shift. This is not merely a change in appearance; it is a structural transformation that could redefine Kashmir’s most important rural livelihood.
Apple cultivation lies at the heart of Kashmir’s economy, supporting nearly seven lakh families directly or indirectly. For generations, traditional orchards raised on seedling rootstocks with expansive canopies were planted with patience and faith. They required limited initial investment but demanded time, often 10 to 12 years before yielding meaningful returns. That model is now under strain due to shrinking landholdings, rising input costs, climate uncertainty and a younger generation unwilling to wait endlessly for economic stability.
High-density apple farming entered Kashmir around 2015–16, promoted by government programmes and research institutions as a solution to these pressures. Built on dwarf rootstocks, closer spacing, trellising systems and precise canopy management, the model promised early bearing, higher yields and improved fruit quality. Nearly a decade later, scientific studies suggest many of these promises have materialised, though not without new complexities.
Research conducted under Kashmir conditions indicates that while traditional orchards may take over a decade to recover establishment costs, high-density orchards often begin commercial production within four to six years. The yield differential is even more striking. Well-managed high-density plantations can produce two to five times more fruit per hectare than conventional orchards. Uniform fruit size, better colour development, and higher proportions of market-preferred grades further improve profitability.
For farmers, these are not abstract numbers. Increased productivity translates into higher and more predictable income. Studies also show that high-density orchards generate greater labour demand per unit area, especially for pruning, training, thinning, harvesting, grading, and packing. In rural Kashmir where non-farm employment remains scarce, this labour intensity injects vital cash into village economies.
The appeal is particularly strong among younger growers. High-density orchards are increasingly viewed as business enterprises rather than generational gambles. Exposure visits, digital advisories and visible success stories in neighbouring villages have reshaped perceptions. Apple farming, once synonymous with delayed returns and uncertainty, is now seen as a planned venture with measurable outcomes.
Yet science is unequivocal on one point: high-density farming is capital-intensive. Establishment costs covering elite planting material, trellis systems, drip irrigation, fertigation units and skilled labour are several times higher than traditional orchards. Without subsidies, institutional credit or technical support, small and marginal farmers often remain excluded from adoption.
This financial divide has social implications. Research on technology diffusion consistently shows that access to credit determines who progresses and who stagnates. If not addressed through inclusive policies, the transition risks widening inequalities within Kashmir’s rural landscape.
At the same time, studies on farmer behaviour offer reassurance. Adoption is largely voluntary and observation-driven. Farmers shift not due to pressure, but because they witness tangible results healthier trees, early harvests and improved incomes. Where extension services function effectively, adoption follows organically.
Still, experts urge caution. High-density orchards are biologically intensive and structurally uniform. Poor management can increase vulnerability to pests, diseases, and climate stress. Kashmir already faces erratic snowfall, untimely rainfall, hailstorms and rising temperatures. Overdependence on a single production model, scientists warn could amplify risk rather than reduce it.
Post-harvest management remains another critical bottleneck. Despite rising production, cold storage and processing infrastructure lag behind. When large volumes of apples reach markets simultaneously, price crashes are common. Research repeatedly emphasizes that yield gains must be matched with investments in storage, grading, processing and market diversification, otherwise productivity may not translate into prosperity.
Beyond economics lies a quieter, deeper loss. Traditional orchards were living legacies which were planted by our grandparents, inherited by children and sustained through shared knowledge. They supported mixed cropping, fodder growth and biodiversity beneath wide canopies. High-density orchards, with shorter lifespans and frequent replanting cycles, alter that relationship. Farming becomes more technical, efficient and less intimate.
Older growers voice this unease openly. They acknowledge the advantages of high-density systems but fear the erosion of orchard culture. Scientific literature does not dismiss these concerns. Instead, it recognises that sustainability extends beyond yield and income to include resilience, diversity, and social continuity.
Importantly, researchers do not advocate for eliminating traditional orchards altogether. The emerging consensus is one of balance. High-density plantations can enhance productivity and livelihoods especially on small landholdings but they must coexist with traditional systems. Diversity in varieties, orchard structures and management practices remains the strongest safeguard against ecological and economic shocks.
Institutions such as SKUAST-K, ICAR, and allied agencies have a decisive role to play. Strengthening research–extension linkages, ensuring equitable access to subsidies and credit, offering continuous farmer training, and investing in storage and processing infrastructure are essential. Equally important is environmental planning to ensure that intensification does not degrade soil health or biodiversity.
Kashmir’s orchards now stand at a defining moment. One path promises speed, scale and efficiency; the other preserves memory, diversity and a way of life shaped over generations. Science does not call for choosing one over the other but it calls for foresight and balance. High-density apple plantations will likely shape the future of Kashmir’s apple economy as landholdings shrink and market pressures intensify. But their success will depend on how wisely the transition is managed.
If guided by sound science, inclusive policies, climate-sensitive planning and robust post-harvest systems, high-density orchards can secure livelihoods for decades to come. If driven solely by short-term gains, they risk creating fragility beneath the promise of abundance. The real question before Kashmir is not whether high-density apples represent the future but whether that future will remain sustainable, inclusive and rooted in the Valley’s land and people.
Dr. Nisar Farhad is an educator currently serving as a Lecturer in Chemistry with the School Education Department in Jammu and Kashmir. He writes about education, values and the quiet strength of rural families whose sacrifices continue to inspire generations. Beyond the classroom, he is a keen traveller and adventurer who finds stories in every journey.
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