We are providing every possible support to growers: Deputy Director
KINS Desk
Srinagar, April 18 (KINS): The horticulture industry may be backbone of Kashmir’s economy but horticulture department according to farmers have taken least measures to save them from heavy losses for last two years.
Horticulture is the mainstay of Kashmir’s economy with seven lakh families directly and indirectly associated with the sector.
More than 3.38 lakh hectares of land is under the fruit cultivation in the valley. Of which 1.62 lakh hectares is under the apple cultivation. However, farmers have faced huge losses for the last two years.
“Department of Horticulture is only issuing statements and doing publicity for officials without doing anything on the ground. Tell officials of Horticulture Department what they have done for farmers for last two years,” Ghulam Hassan, a farmer from Kupwara district told news agency KINS.
He own over 15 kanals of apple orchard land.
Another farmer Parvez Ahmad from Watergam Baramullah said that in the last two years they have faced heavy losses. “I have never received any subsidy or any support from the horticulture department. Nobody from the department even visited our village to assess the losses,” Ajaz claimed.
Another Orchard owner Zahoor Ahmad said that the government at the higher level should take note of tall claims of the Horticulture department and make accountable the officials dealing with the horticulture sector.
He said farmers suffered heavy damages by last year November snowfall. As per official figures, over 35 percent fruit trees suffered damages by last year November snowfall. However, Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers cum Dealers Union (KVFG), an umbrella body of all fruit growers associations, has said 80 percent of apple trees were uprooted due to the untimely heavy snowfall.
“Fruit orchards have suffered 90 percent damages. It would take at least 15 years for growers to find replacement for uprooted trees,” KVFG has said. Surprisingly, farmers were paid a mere compensation of Rs 2000 per kanal of orchard.
Last year Prime Minister Narendra Modi- led government had announced market intervention scheme to procure apple from Kashmir farmers. National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) and J&K Horticulture Planning and Marketing were tasked of procuring apple crop in a belated attempt to contain the fallout of the Indian government’s continued siege of the valley. Government had announced that it would procure 60 per cent of the estimated annual apple production in Jammu and Kashmir from the farmers nearer their doorsteps. Kashmir produces annually around 21 metric tons of apple.
However, an official of J&K’s Horticulture Planning and Marketing told Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) that the scheme was initially announced till December and later extended to March 31 this year. “But we procured only 15,000 metric tons of apple, valued around Rs 70 crore under this scheme. This was because government was procuring apple at very less value and there was not proper planning in implementation of the scheme,” the official said.
Similarly, Bashir Ahmad Basheer, President Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers cum Dealers Union (KVFG), an umbrella body of all fruit growers associations, said over 50 to 60 lakh apple boxes are stuck in stores in Kashmir alone. “. These are not able to reach to markets due to lockdown,” he told KINS.
Director horticulture Kashmir Ajaz Ahmad was not available for the comments. However the Deputy Director Javaid Ahmad said that the department is providing every possible support to the growers right from their orchards to the market. “We have laid special focus on Apple produce as it has a direct or indirect source of income to the families in Kashmir,” he told KINS over phone.
He added that the department is ensuring that there should be no delay in the disbursement of subsidy to growers in respect to horticulture promotion schemes.(KINS)
