Kashmir fruit growers issue another SOS: industry is dying!

ZT NEWS NETWORK

Srinagar: Kashmir’s fruit growers have issued yet another SOS, saying that Kashmir’s fruit industry was shrinking and dying due to Covid-19 pandemic and the continued restrictions.

In a letter written to J&K administration on Saturday, Bashir Ahmad Basheer, chairman, Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers cum Dealers Union and Presidnet of the New Kashmir Fruit Association has asked the government to

1. Make immediate arrangements for procurement of all Varieties of Cherry from Mandi’s particularly Fruit Mandi Parimpora which is one of the largest Mandi after Delhi Mandi
2. Consider minimum Support price of Rs. 100/- per Kg, Daba of Cherry.

Here is the unedited text of the letter written by the fruit growers to J&K administration as received by Ziraat Times.

Respected Sir,

The undersigned would like to invite your kind attention on the correspondence resting on the subject followed by repeated reminders thereupon for consideration of grant of minimum support price of Cherry Produce to the tune of Rs.100/- per kg, Daba, it is unfortunate that despite of repeated follow-up at this end the Government Administration did not come forward to rescue the poor Cherry Growers of the Valley.

Cherry Season is now at its peak. About 130-150 Crores is annual turnover of this Crop.

During the present Cherry season there are no buyers/Marketing for Cherry, it is only because of outbreak of Coronavirus (Covid-19) and imposing of Curfew like restriction within entire Country. Though Cherry Crop is mouth watering fruit even there is no demand of it because of prevailing pandemic.

All Varieties of Cherry are presently available in all Mandi’s of the Valley particularly Fruit Mandi Parimpora, Srinagar But it does not fetch even the actual expenses incurred not to speak of profits.

There are more than (20) twenty Canning Unit Owners who were lifting “Double Cherry” for canning purposes since several decades, even outside Canning Unit holders were also purchasing “Double Cherry” for Canning. Height of thing is that only one Canning Owner is coming in Fruit Mandi Parimpora and lifts hardly 1% of total produce of Double Cherry that too against through away prices.

In fact most of the Cherry Crop out of total produce is from “Makhmali” & “Mishri” varieties to the extent of 60% of the total produce and as per past practice since several decades these two varieties were sent to Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmadabad and Delhi etc directed by air from Srinagar Airport and by Superfast Railway from Jammu/ Amritsar Railhead.

Since all Fruit Mandi’s of the Country were not fully functional for entire business in view of apprehension of spread of Coronavirus, the Airlines and Railway facilities were also not available , Road Connectivity was restricted the cherry produce could not, therefore, despatched for any station outside J&K (UT).

Now the situation is improved to some extent and several Mandi’s like Delhi, Mumbai etc have now been allowed to resume their trade but there is no demand for Cherry. Though a little quantity of Cherry consignments is being despatched into Mumbai but it does even not fetch actual expenses in return when Rs. 55/- to Rs.60/- per Kg with some other additional Charges are charged by Airlines Authorities as against Rs.27/- to Rs.30/- as paid previous Cherry season of 2019.

It may be pertinent to add it here that about 10 Lac families are directly or indirectly depended on Fruit Industry in case if preventive measures to save this Fruit Industry are not taken immediately there are every apprehension all these 10 Lac families will have to face acute hardships of their livelihood.

Under the Circumstances explained above and in order to save the Fruit Industry, which in fact is treated as Backbone of State’s Economy, your goodslef is requested kindly look into this serious issue personally and consider the following two demands of the poor Cherry Growers of the Valley who have constantly suffered heavy losses since last several years:

1. Make immediate arrangements for procurement of all Varieties of Cherry from Mandi’s particularly Fruit Mandi Parimpora which is one of the largest Mandi after Delhi Mandi
2. Consider minimum Support price of Rs. 100/- per Kg, Daba of Cherry.

With great regards,

Yours sincerely,

(Bashir Ahmad Basheer)
CHAIRMAN
Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers cum Dealers Union
PRESIDENT
The New Kashmir Fruit Association