Apple production in India's Kashmir is down 50 percent as the state is hit by inclement weather and disease.

Apple scab has affected the region's produce and production is expected to reach an all-time low. Many farmers are on the verge of bankruptcy.

Horticulture represents 8 percent of the GDP in Jammu and Kashmir.

This footage was filmed on September 8.

Despite buying costly pesticides and employing highly skilled laborers to upkeep apple orchards, Growers are struggling to reach a breakeven point as the inclement weather and disease coupled have hit the horticulture sector badly

This year, the scab has hit the apple crop. Even the production, which was expected to reach an all-time high has halved now. This is going to be the worst year for apple growers.

For the second year in a row, farmers are staring at huge losses given the disease and drop in production due to substandard pesticides.

After tourism failure, people had pinned hopes on horticulture and agriculture. However, the horticulture sector too has failed this year and with the result, the growers are on the verge of bankruptcy.

Horticulture is in doldrums and growers have gone bankrupt because of last year’s lockdown. The annual production has almost halved. Of the remaining 50 percent, the `C’ grade apple is almost 30 percent,” President North Kashmir Apple Growers Association, Fayaz Ahmad Malik.

Horticulture is the backbone of Jammu and Kashmir’s economy. It contributes about 8 percent to the GDP of Jammu and Kashmir. Official figures reveal that seven lakh families are directly or indirectly involved and dependent on the horticulture industry.

At Asia’s biggest Fruit Mandi in Sopore, only 200 trucks loaded with apple and pears leave for outside state markets against last year’s 300 trucks per day..

Parmipora Fruit Mandi Srinagar too is witnessing a slump. The export of apples has declined by more than 300 percent this year so far.

“Against 400 trucks, only 150 leave for New Delhi and Amritsar. Last year’s losses have immensely hit the dealers who couldn’t buy more apples this season. The flow of pears to this market was almost 20 percent less compared to the previous year,” said Bashir Ahmad Basheer, President Parimpora Fruit Mandi.