The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — The ongoing prolonged dry spell this summer is causing immense distress among valley farmers, raising concerns about its severe impact on crop growth and overall productivity.

Officials from the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department informed the news agency KNO that due to the extended dry weather and decreasing water levels in the Jhelum River, approximately 10% of irrigation agriculture schemes are being affected.

"We are currently witnessing a significant reduction in the water level of the Jhelum River due to prolonged dry weather conditions. The decreased water level has adversely affected lift irrigation," an official said.

The official further said that the overall water capacity of the Jhelum has decreased by 30% from normal levels, resulting in a 10% impact on irrigation schemes.

Meanwhile, Director Agriculture Kashmir, Choudhary Mohammad Iqbal, said, “Currently, there is moisture in the ground, but if there is no rainfall by next week, both paddy and vegetable crops will be negatively affected.”

“For the growth of paddy and vegetable crops, rainwater is crucial. Presently, there is some moisture in the ground, but without rainfall within the next week or so, adverse effects on both vegetable and paddy fields are anticipated,” Director Iqbal said.

Professor Dr Raihana, Chief Scientist at the Faculty of Agriculture, Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agriculture Science and Technology (SKUAST) Kashmir, said the prolonged dry spell had stressed plants, resulting in stunted growth in both paddy and vegetable crops.

“The extended dry spell has caused the tips of paddy crops to burn, while leaves of vegetables have become dry,” she explained. Dr Raihana added that the high temperatures coupled with the prolonged dry period have led to reduced crop yields, with stunted growth and leaf weathering in vegetable plants.

A considerable portion of the Jhelum River in Srinagar is visibly drying up, with surface patches becoming evident at various points along its stretch.

Another official from the I&FC Department said that over 40% of the Jhelum River in Srinagar has begun to dry up at multiple locations due to the extended dry spell.

“The ongoing dry spell is impacting water bodies. In Srinagar, approximately 40% of the Jhelum River has dried up, with surface patches visible at numerous locations,” the official said.

Farmers said the lack of precipitation and above-average temperatures have severely affected crop growth and development, dealing a significant blow to the region’s agricultural economy.

Several videos circulating on social media purportedly show farmers displaying their dry paddy fields, with young paddy plants also withering due to the dry conditions.

Farmers are anxiously awaiting relief from the dry and hot weather conditions as the prolonged spell continues to challenge their livelihoods and the overall agricultural economy.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — Apple growers in several areas of southern Kashmir are increasingly concerned as a leaf miner pest continues to infect their orchards for the fourth consecutive year.

The farmers told the news agency KNO that the pest has wreaked havoc in their orchards over the past three years. “Wherever the pest was found in the last three years, the produce was less shiny and smaller in size, as this insect sucks all the nutrients from the trees,” they said.

Zahoor Ahmad, a fruit grower from the Dachnipora area of Anantnag, described how the pest lays web layers from one branch to another, even reaching the trunk and fruit. “This pest, numbering in millions, is sucking all nutrients from the tree, causing the fruit to remain small. It damages leaves and trees as well,” he said, adding that visitors to the pest-affected orchards have complained of allergies and other issues with their throats and nose.

Initially found in Shopian’s Zainapora, the pest has spread to Zainapora, Litter, Watchi, Yaripora, Lassipora, Tahab and Bijbehara areas over the years. This season, orchardists from various parts of south Kashmir have raised alarms about the pest, despite following horticulture advisories to combat it.

The growers have called for urgent attention from the horticulture department and experts to prevent further damage. “Even after spraying insecticides several times every year, these pests keep reappearing,” they said, adding that the affected orchards have reported premature fruit fall, along with reduced fruit quality and size.

Senior scientists from Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Science and Technology-Kashmir (SKUAST-K) have identified the pest as a “leaf miner” – an invasive insect that likely arrived four or five years ago. They said that while leaf miners were reported some time ago, their presence has significantly increased in the past two years. Despite this, the pest is manageable if growers consistently follow advisories, they added.

The horticulture department has called for a collective approach to managing the pest and advised spraying insecticides across all affected orchards to prevent any residual population from serving as a source of infestation the following year.

Recommendations for farmers include installing sticky traps 10 meters apart for monitoring and surveillance of the apple leaf blotch miner (ALBM), maintaining proper sanitation practices within and around the orchards, and installing pheromone-baited traps at a density of 8-10 traps per hectare.

They should spray one of the following insecticides at the recommended dosage: Thiamethoxam 25 WG (50g per 100 litres of water), Flubendiamide 39.35 SC (40ml per 100 litres of water), Chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC (100ml per 100 litres of water), Thiacloprid 21.7 SC (60ml per 100 litres of water), Lambda Cyhalothrin 5 EC (50ml per 100 litres of water), Pre-mix formulation of Thiamethoxam 12.6 + Lambda Cyhalothrin 9.5 ZC (50ml per 100 litres of water), and pre-mix formulation of Imidacloprid 6 + Lambda Cyhalothrin 4 SL (50ml per 100 litres of water).

The department has advised farmers not to mix insecticides with any other plant protection chemicals or plant nutrients.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse