Shopian, Jun 16: Apple growers in south Kashmir’s Shopian district have reported an unusual fruit drop in their orchards days after the application of a pesticide, raising concerns over the quality of agrochemicals available in the market and fears of significant losses to this year’s harvest.
Farmers from the apple-growing villages of Sugoo and Kachdoora said large quantities of fruit fell from trees shortly after spraying the pesticide. Many growers have linked the losses to the product used in their orchards and are demanding an investigation into the matter.
Farooq Ahmad, an orchardist from Sugoo, said the fruit drop was reported from several orchards in the area.
“In some orchards, nearly 50 to 60 per cent of the fruit has fallen. We have never witnessed such a severe drop after a routine spray,” he said.
Farmers said the losses come at a crucial stage of the growing season and could have a significant impact on production and incomes. They said many orchards were expected to recover from previous weather-related setbacks before the latest incident dealt another blow.
The growers said the fruit drop was noticed after the application of Mancozeb, a widely used fungicide manufactured by a particular company. However, they said the exact cause of the damage remains unclear and requires scientific examination.
Former MLA Aijaz Ahmad Mir termed the issue serious and called for a thorough investigation into the quality of pesticides being sold in the market.
“There should be a proper mechanism to ensure that pesticides enter the market only after sampling and quality verification. The government must act swiftly to prevent the circulation of any suspected substandard products,” Mir said.
He said horticulture remains the backbone of the local economy and warned that any delay in addressing the issue could adversely affect thousands of families dependent on apple cultivation.
Peerzada Shabir Ahmad, president of the Pesticides Association Shopian, confirmed receiving complaints from orchardists regarding excessive fruit drop in several orchards across the district.
“Farmers have complained that they sprayed a pesticide sourced from a Delhi-based company, after which fruit began falling in large numbers. The enforcement wing has collected samples from the market, and we are awaiting the laboratory reports,” he said.
Peerzada said strict action should be taken if the samples are found to be substandard or adulterated. He added that apple growers were already grappling with rising input costs and uncertain returns, making such incidents particularly damaging.
The enforcement authorities have collected samples for testing, and farmers are awaiting clarity on whether the fruit drop is linked to the quality or composition of the pesticide, application practices, or other factors. Until laboratory reports are received, officials have not established any direct link between the pesticide and the losses reported by growers.
