Shopian, Oct. 17 -- Kashmir's apple orchards, a backbone of the economy that supports nearly half the people living there, are deserted with fruit rotting on the trees at a time when they should be bustling with harvesters.

Losses are mounting as insurgent groups pressure pickers, traders and drivers to shun the industry to protest an Indian government crackdown.

Apple growers call it a "silent war declared on their stomachs."

"That's almost $1,200 worth of produce. It's all a waste now," said apple farmer Mohammad Shafi, pointing to a heap of rotten apples thrown into a pit in Wuyan, a small village 37 miles (60 kms) east of Srinagar, the region's main city.

Kashmir's pristine mountainous landscapes, ski resorts, lake houseboats and ...