How Kashmiri Farmers Are Fighting To Save This Year’s Crops

From heat-stressed paddy to sunburnt apples, Kashmir’s growers are in a race against time. The agri-university’s crisis manual could be their only shield.

- Hirra Azmat

What began as concern over a snowless winter has now turned into a bigger challenge for Kashmir’s farmers and orchardists — an intense heatwave that’s threatening crops and disrupting the growing season.

In 2025, climate change is redefining what summer feels like in Kashmir, with record-breaking temperatures scorching the valley.

Just two days ago, Srinagar recorded its second hottest day of the season, with the mercury soaring to 35.3 degrees Celsius.

In response to soaring temperatures and a prolonged dry spell affecting the valley, the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST)-Kashmir has issued a detailed advisory urging farmers to take immediate precautions to safeguard crops, livestock, and livelihoods.