Snowfall boosts horticulture tourism prospects in Kashmir

RECENT spells of snowfall across Kashmir this month have brought much-needed relief to farmers and helped reduce the region’s rainfall deficit after a prolonged dry spell during the ongoing winter season.

The Meteorological Department (MeT) had earlier said that the Jammu and Kashmir meteorological subdivision recorded a 39 per cent rainfall deficit between October 1 and December 31, 2025. In recent years, most winters in the Valley have remained largely dry, barring the winter of 2019–20, which saw adequate snowfall.

Director of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Srinagar, Mukhtar Ahmad said the Kashmir Valley—particularly the higher reaches—received significant snowfall during Chillai Kalan, the harshest phase of winter in Kashmir, after several years.

Ahmad said the rainfall deficit in the Valley has now reduced to around 31 per cent. “More spells are expected in the coming days. We will have to see how the situation evolves,” he said, adding that rainfall deficit levels in the Jammu division have reduced to near-normal following recent rain.

He described the snowfall as “significant” and said it would allay fears of water scarcity during the summer months, as the fresh snow has rejuvenated water bodies and glaciers.

Kashmir has, in recent years, witnessed increasingly erratic weather patterns, including prolonged dry spells and intense rainfall events. Winter precipitation has also declined due to fewer western disturbances. Last year, the Valley recorded unprecedented heat, with both maximum and minimum temperatures reaching record highs, triggering a growing water crisis in urban and rural areas.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah last week said the recent snowfall would benefit the tourism sector, as visitors had been eagerly awaiting snow in the Valley. He also said timely snowfall would help avert a drought-like situation caused by scant precipitation. “If we had not received this snow, there would have been a very severe shortage of water during the summer,” Omar said.

Fruit growers in the Valley also welcomed the snowfall, calling it crucial for the horticulture sector. “We have witnessed this kind of snowfall after a long time. It will help boost apple production this year,” said Javid Ahmad, president of the Pulwama Fruit Association in south Kashmir.

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Courtesy: The Tribune -30-Jan-2026