Srinagar, July 31 -- By Ghulam Ahmad Mir

Official tests in Kashmir last year uncovered 57 non-standard pesticide samples out of 1,654 checked. Jammu recorded just one failure in 384 samples.

That difference alone should stop every decision-maker cold.

Farmers in the valley poured their savings into those products. The sprays failed, pests and diseases moved in, and orchards that should have delivered top-grade fruit produced stained and downgraded crops instead.

Agriculture and horticulture keep Jammu and Kashmir's economy alive. Thousands of families live off apple orchards and related crops. But counterfeit and substandard pesticides have become a growing threat in the market.

Growers spend hard-earned money each season on these ch...