Srinagar, July 8 -- On a crisp summer morning in the orchards of Shopian and Pulwama, rows of cherry and plum trees glisten under the Himalayan sun. For generations, these fruits have been part of Kashmir's agricultural identity-harvested, packed, and sold in nearby mandis or transported to metropolitan markets across India.

This year, a consignment quietly marked a shift in that long-standing pattern. Premium Areko cherries and Scentrose plums, sourced from orchards in South Kashmir, were airlifted to the United Arab Emirates, destined for the shelves of Lulu Hypermarket in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

The shipment, facilitated by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), was dispatched on July 4. For t...