JAMMU, Jan. 31 -- Long constrained by rushed harvests, weak storage, and limited market power, Jammu and Kashmir's apple sector is undergoing a quiet but structural transformation under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP).

By reorganising apple farming as a full value chain, from nurseries and orchard design to grading, storage, logistics and market intelligence, the programme is enabling growers to move beyond distress-driven sales and towards informed, value-based participation in national markets.

Traditionally, the apple economy of Jammu & Kashmir operated within a narrow and unforgiving window. Harvest season brought urgency rather than opportunity. With limited access to scientific grading, storage or organised m...