Kashmiri apple orchards support thousands of families in the Valley and make over 70% of India’s apple supplies. The lawmakers, doctors, and studies now link heavy pesticide spraying in these orchards to rising malignant brain tumours among apple growers and workers, as per the Times of India.
#Kashmir's #apple orchards face scrutiny as lawmakers and medical experts link decades of pesticide use to rising malignant brain tumours among orchard workers. Studies reveal high incidences of #brain cancer in fruit-growing districts, with evidence of pesticide residues found… pic.twitter.com/8zSI4HqwrQ
— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) December 29, 2025
The issue was recently discussed by the House Committee on Environment in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. The committee, led by CPM’s MY Tarigami, met with officials, scientists, and health experts over the issue of pesticides used in the orchards. They noted farmers have been spraying chemicals for decades without knowing the full health risks.
Tarigami said they don’t aim to scare farmers, but to raise a serious issue backed by scientific data. He said that if pesticide use is harming lives, it needs urgent and responsible action.
Old studies show brain cancer spike
A Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) study from the year 2005-2008 checked over 400 cancer patients. It found a high number of primary brain cancers in Baramulla, Anantnag, Budgam, Shopian, and Kupwara. Researchers saw a strong possible link between pesticide exposure and malignant brain tumours among orchard farmers.
An Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine report said 90% of brain tumour patients from apple growing areas had been exposed to pesticides, and all had aggressive tumours. Chemicals such as chlorpyriphos, mancozeb and captan were commonly found. Mancozeb has been banned in the European Union, but its use continues in Kashmir.
Over-spraying without safety gear
Shahid Rasool from CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine said farmers spray every 10 to 12 days, instead of the advised 18 to 21 days. They believe more spraying means better yield, which experts say is not true.
Due to high cost, most of the workers do not use masks, gloves or goggles, leading to problems like cough, skin rashes and eye irritation. In some orchards, chemicals are sprayed up to 15 times in one season.
Pesticides found in blood and soil
Dr Sobia Nisar from the Government Medical College in Srinagar said her research found pesticide traces not only in apples but also in human blood samples. Orchard workers and nearby residents showed residues along with higher cases of obesity, metabolic problems and early kidney issues.
Recent soil studies have also shown harmful metal contamination and loss of soil nutrients, while experts warn that pesticides are seeping into water sources used for drinking and irrigation.
Call for urgent action
Researchers estimate that millions of tonnes of pesticides are sprayed every year in Kashmir, exposing nearly 40% of the population directly or indirectly. The House Committee is expected to recommend better monitoring, more research and stronger safety measures.
Experts stress that protecting farmers’ health must be treated with the same importance as protecting crops and sustaining Kashmir’s apple economy.
