Kashmir’s Big Travel Year Came With a Catch

Kashmir's strawberry farmers hit hard as prices plummet after Pahalgam attack

The Kashmir Pulse Kashmir’s strawberry farmers hit hard as prices plummet after Pahalgam attack SRINAGAR — 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. Farmer…

Kashmir’s Big Travel Year Came With a Catch

Shikaras sans tourists parked on the Dal Lake – KO file photo On a warm May morning, Farooq Ahmad waited by the Dal Lake waters with his wooden shikara boat moored close, oar balanced across his knees. The spring sunlight danced off the water. The flowers in the nearby gardens were in full bloom. But the tourists never came. “They canceled everything,” he said, pointing to a row of empty boats stretching toward the horizon. “Before, I didn’t eve…