Kashmiri Apple Growers, Cricket Bat Makers Face Losses

The twin districts of Shopian and Kulgam in south Kashmir are the major apple growing centres where people are anxious and not sure as to what lies in store. Ghulam Mohammad looks at the apples in his orchard with a sense of uncertainty. The apples will ripe in a week’s time, but his labor force is gone after the mass exodus of non-Kashmiris from the Valley following government advisory. He says he is staring at a massive loss this year. “It looks very unlikely that we will be able to meet our target under the prevailing conditions.