Experts at CII Meet Flag Roadblocks in Kashmir Apple Cart’s Global Ambition

Experts speaking at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) J&K Apple Conclave-2026 in Srinagar on October 28 highlighted multiple challenges facing the horticulture sector, including failure to meet global standards, underutilisation of land, inadequate storage, and poor transportation.

Key Challenges Highlighted

• Quality and Transport Issues: Dr. N.K. Krishna Kumar, ex-Deputy Director at ICAR, noted that buyers in South India are dissatisfied with apple quality, describing them as puffy and starchy rather than crispy due to a deficient cold chain during the four-month export window.
• Global Competitiveness: Experts pointed out competition from Australia and the United States, alongside a lack of market visibility for indigenous varieties like the aromatic 'Ambri' apple, whose cultivation has declined significantly.
• Production and Infrastructure Deficits: Jammu and Kashmir produces over 21 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of apples annually—accounting for 70% to 73% of India's total production—but the J&K Economic Survey 2025-26 notes a requirement of 6 LMT of cold storage capacity.
• Plant Material Costs: Dr. Nazir Ahmad Ganai, Vice-Chancellor of SKUAST-Kashmir, stated that scaling up high-density plantations requires roughly 110 million plant materials, warning that importing them could cause substantial capital loss and advocating for local capacity building.

Policy and Market Goals

J&K Agriculture Production Minister Javid Ahmad Dar emphasized the need for technological innovations, precision horticulture, and smart farming to reduce post-harvest losses and meet international quality standards. Meanwhile, CII J&K Convener Dawar Ashraf Mir stated that the conclave aimed to spotlight the sector and suggest policy refinements.