Kashmir apple growers face uneven returns ahead of Diwali, as an association leader says scab has lowered fruit quality while buyers favor large Grade A apples.
Zahoor Ahad Tantray, general secretary of the Kashmir Fruit Growers and Dealers Association, told the Press Trust of India (PTI) that large Grade A apples were drawing strong demand, especially for gift packs. He separately said supplies in fruit mandis, or wholesale markets, were inadequate.
Tantray estimated that Grade B and C apples made up 50% to 55% of mandi arrivals, with the share possibly reaching 60%. His figure concerned market arrivals, not an official count of the region’s full crop. He said production costs were the same across grades, while Grade A apples brought better returns. His account suggests growers with lower-grade fruit may receive less despite similar production costs, though he gave no figures for the difference in returns.
Mohammad Sohail Tanveer, an apple dealer from Bihar, described prices as reasonable, citing about ₹1,300 for a wooden crate and up to ₹600 for a cardboard carton. He also told PTI that 400 to 500 truckloads left “this market” each day. The dispatch did not identify the market or give the package weights.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada identifies the fungus Venturia inaequalis as the cause of apple scab. Its general guidance says cool, wet spring conditions can encourage the disease and that lesions may lower yields and commercial value.
In August, Kashmir Observer reported that growers in parts of south Kashmir had seen secondary scab after an extended rainy spell. Greater Kashmir, citing India Meteorological Department data, reported 259.7 millimeters of July rainfall across Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, 35% above normal; Shopian received 59.8 millimeters, 40% below its 99.2-millimeter normal. Those readings do not establish the cause or scale of the reported scab damage.
The Government of India lists Diwali on Sunday, Nov. 8, in its 2026 holiday calendar.
