Srinagar, April 4 -- Kashmir-based agricultural start-up 'Orchardly' has joined forces with a Dutch company, 'Koppert' to grow pesticide-free and healthy fruit in the valley.

Kashmir, of late, has seen a sharp increase in the use of pesticides, a broad range of chemical compounds that are used to kill pests, including insects, rodents, fungi, and weeds, and are mainly used for crop protection, agricultural food production, and disease control.

Experts blame the swift conversion of agricultural land into high-density orchards on the unabated use of these harmful chemicals. This has led to adverse health effects in farmers who are directly exposed to the pesticide sprays and pose a big risk to the consumers as well.

Offering effective an...