Srinagar: Every morning, Ali Mohammad Bhat rushes to Sopore Mandi to dispatch the apple shipment to outside markets.

 Just a week ago, he discussed plans to store his produce in cold storage before sending it to outside markets for sale. “We were preparing to send apples in May when demand usually rises, but now we are rushing to dispatch stocks across India,” he said.

 Apple growers and traders in Kashmir are working overtime to tap into an unexpected surge in demand, as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East disrupt imports and push domestic prices sharply higher.

 The sudden spike in demand is being linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel,........

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