India, May 16 -- Strawberries, the first fruit to ripen in the Kashmir Valley after winter, have arrived in local markets, but the mood among farmers is far from festive.

A sudden slump in demand and prices, attributed to the recent attack in Pahalgam, has left strawberry growers grappling with losses during what should have been a profitable season.

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Farmers from Gusso village in Hazratbal, on the outskirts of Srinagar, who are currently harvesting the crop, say the Pahalgam incident has cast a shadow over the strawberry market.

"Strawberries are eagerly awaited by both locals and tourists, and the market was initially promising," said Manzoor Ahmed, a farmer from Gusso. "But the Pahalgam incident c...