Kashmir’s Apple Industry Relies Heavily on Imported High-Density Plants as Pest Threats Rise and Local Production Lags

SRINAGAR : Even as Jammu Kashmir’s apple industry continues its push toward modernisation through high-density plantations, the government’s latest disclosures in the Legislative Assembly have shown that the Union Territory remains heavily dependent on imported planting material. The figures, tabled in response to a starred question by MLA Shabir Ahmad Kullay, reveal that the majority of high-density apple plants over the past two years were imported from European countries such as Belgium, Italy, and Turkey, raising new concerns about plant health, biosecurity loopholes, and the sustainability of Kashmir’s horticultural sector. Follow Us On G -N e w s | Whatsapp

According to the Horticulture Department, a total of 55,162 high-density apple plants and other fruit v