Srinagar, Oct. 27 -- The apple orchards of Kashmir, once the pride of the Valley and a cornerstone of its rural economy, are facing an unprecedented threat - not from market forces or pests alone, but from the mounting crisis of climate change. The changing weather patterns, erratic rainfall, unseasonal snowfall, and prolonged dry spells have begun to disrupt the delicate rhythm upon which Kashmir's famed apple industry depends. For decades, the "Kashmiri apple" has symbolised not only the Valley's agricultural richness but also its cultural identity. Generations of farmers have relied on predictable seasons - the gentle bloom of spring, moderate summer warmth, and a crisp autumn harvest. But in recent years, this pattern has been upended...