Apple harvesting In Kashmir, India

Rotten apples lie on the ground as farmers pick fresh apples from a tree in an apple orchard in Pulwama. The annual production of apples in the Kashmir Valley ranges from 1.5 million to 1.8 million metric tons and the total cold storage capacity in the Valley is 1.20,000 to 1.30,000 MTs. The valley's biggest economy, Rs 10,000 crore apple industry, provides a livelihood to around 3.5 million people in the region. Horticulture is one of the main industries in Kashmir and contributes around eight percent to J&K's GDP. The apple is among the biggest shareholders in Kashmiri's horticulture industry. The high-altitude temperate region of Kashmir is known to be an ideal fruit cultivation land.