India, Dec. 14 -- Early, intense snowfall in November 2019& a wet monsoonproduced conditions for outbreak; lockdown abated it; farmers blame spurious fungicides too

Kashmir's apple output may be hit by scab disease this season as a fallout of climatic factors. While the fruits would remain edible, the fungal infection would leave marks, making it tough for farmers to get a good price.

Apple orchard owners across the valley are reporting the fungus ( Venturia inaequalis ), said Fayaz Ahmad Malik, who leads fruit growers and dealers at the fruit wholesale market in Sopore.

The disease is not unusual, but "I have never seen it so intense in my 35 years in business," claimed Abdul Jabbar, an orchard owner in Bandipora district. His yield h...