The Italian Job in J&K: High-density farming redefines state’s apple industry

High-density farming was introduced in the Rs 8,000-crore apple industry in Kashmir in 2015-16.

The high-density apple farming introduced in Kashmir in 2015-16 has given a new shape to Kashmir’s Rs 8,000-crore apple industry.

High-density apple planting materials, imported from various European countries, mostly from Italy, have redefined Kashmir’s apple sector, which provides a livelihood to around 7.5 lakh farming families.

High-density farming was introduced in the Rs 8,000-crore apple industry in Kashmir in 2015-16.

What is high-density apple farming?
High-density farming means more trees on less surface. “For example, on one kanal of land, 150-160 high-density apple trees can be planted while only 50-60 can be planted in conventional orchards. Also, the traditional trees take 10-15 years to produce the crop while the crop on high-density trees get ready a year after plantation. The trees also get fully matured in the third year, producing more crops in less area,” said Adnan Ali, a farmer.

High-density varieties enter the fruit-bearing stage earlier than the conventional varieties, and fetch farmers good returns.

“Unlike traditional farming, high-density apple orchards have to be maintained differently. Ultimately, when the crop gets ready, it is quite similar to the Italian crop. Unlike conventional farming, high-density apple farming requires low input cost and less labour cost.

The quality of apples is also high with uniformity in colour and size,” says 47-year-old Shahnawaz Khan of Pinjoora hamlet in Kashmir’s Shopian.

Jeromine, King Roat, Gala Scarlet, Red Velox, Scarlet Spur-II, Super Chief, Redlum Gala, and Auvi Fuji are some of these varieties.

The crop from high-density cultivation gets ready for harvest in the first week of August. The traditional varieties are harvested during October and November.

What is the price difference?
Many growers, including Khan, sold Gala variety at a whopping Rs 2,500 per 10 kg this year. “I am over the moon to see my high-density crop commanding a huge demand in the market and the returns are even higher. Growing apples through high-density mode is amazing.

In my three-decade long apple farming career, I have never sold one kg of apples at Rs 250, ” Khan, a science graduate, told Moneycontrol.

Trees this season were laden heavily with apples in the apple-rich districts of Kashmir valley. For example, the 10-kg Gala variety is sold between Rs 1,300 and Rs 1,400 per 10 kg, while other varieties are sold between Rs 900 and Rs 1,000 per 10 kg.

Conventional varieties like Delicious and Kolu Delicious are sold between Rs 1,000 and 1,200 per 16-kg box. However, the high density Gala variety is sold between Rs 1,300 and Rs 1,400 per 10 kg while some growers even sold Gala variety this year at Rs 2,500 per 10 kg.

Khan switched to high-density apple cultivation in 2016. Currently, he is earning more than Rs 40 lakh per annum from his orchard.

Adnan Ali, too, said that the high-density mode of cultivation has given him a bumper crop this year.

The cost effect
High-density varieties are also less prone to diseases and require less fertilisers and pesticide sprays.

“Farmers in Kashmir normally spend Rs 700-800 crore yearly on pesticide sprays and fertilisers on traditional varieties of apples. Every year, they do 17-18 pesticide spray in conventional orchards, compared to only 10-12 sprays in high-density orchards,” Ali told Moneycontrol.
Apples of Kashmir cultivated with an Italian touch

Farmers and officials from the horticulture department claimed that apples grown in Kashmir are quite similar to those grown in the US, Italy and the Netherlands. Some varieties, including Gala grown in Kashmir, are sweeter than other apples produced in other nations.

“Our crop is very much similar to the crop produced in the rest of the world but the only issue with our industry is grading. We still lack competency in grading apples. This is why our crop gets badly hit in the market. Growers should do packing and grading as farmers do in Europe so that the Kashmir’s apple industry can thrive further,” Mohammad Amin, subject matter specialist and technical officer to director, horticulture, Kashmir, told Moneycontrol.

Dr. Shamim A. Simnani, Head of Department (HoD), Fruit Science, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST Kashmir), also said that apples can be cultivated in any part of the world where the temperature during winter dips below 7 degrees celsius.
“Both conventional as well as high-density apples can be grown anywhere where the climate and soil are feasible for apple cultivation. Some apple varieties can be sweeter in some parts of the world but that is again due to the particular temperature and soil of that region.” Simnani told Moneycontrol.

Amin added that, earlier, the high-density planting material, like M106, M109 and M11, was imported from various European countries, mainly from Italy, but now both planting material as well as supporting material, piping and drip irrigation system is developed within the country.

Government figures show that, till date, 542 hectares of horticulture land has been brought under high-density plantation and of 5,500 hectares in the coming years. For this purpose, a 50 percent subsidy is provided to orchardists who establish or switch to high-density fruit production.
In September 2015, the then J&K Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed inaugurated the state’s first-ever high-density apple orchard at Bamdoora in Anantnag district of south Kashmir.

In 2016, the J&K government imported 1.21 lakh apple plants of various varieties from Italy.