Closure of ago-chemicals outlets: Fruit growers appeal Navin Chaudhary for support

Srinagar: Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers cum Dealers Union and the New Kashmir Fruit Association have urged the Principal Secretary Agriculture Production Department, Navin Chaudhary, for his intervention in ensuring easy availability of agro chemicals in Kashmir.

In a statement to Ziraat Times, chairman, of the two associations, Bashir Ahmed Basheer has expressed concern for the non-availability of agro chemicals despite keeping the sector exempt from the lockdown.

Ziraat Times here reproduces the letter verbatim written by the associations to the Principal Secretary, Agriculture Production Department and Farmers Welfare without any editing:

The undersigned would like to inform your goodself that unfortunate incident of outbreak of Covid -19 (pandemic) during the year 2019-20 despite of strict imposition of curfew like situation in the entire Valley the fertilize/pesticide outlets were open in all districts of the Valley on the strict directions of the Administration with the result the Valley Based Fruit
Growers/Dealers did not face any hardships in purchasing fertilize/pesticides. The situation and
the attitude of fertilize/pesticide Dealers at present is quite different, surprising and shocking.

I have been informed by the Fruit Growers from every corner of the Valley that all the fertilize/Pesticide outlets are completely closed in view of imposition of lockdown with the result
the Valley Based Fruit Growers/Dealers despite of their hectic efforts cannot find fertilize/pesticide anywhere when on the other hand the fruit plants in every orchard of the Valley are covered with “SCAB”. All Valley Based Fruit Growers/Dealers are, therefore, extremely worried with apprehension of heavy losses if immediate arrangements are not made for easily availability of superior quality of fertilize/pesticide in every hook and corner of the Valley.

Though the Director Horticulture Development Kashmir are making all possible efforts for keeping the fertilize/pesticide outlets open for the facility of valley Based Fruit Growers/Dealers which is appreciated but there is necessity of issuance of guidelines from the Administrative Department.

Under the circumstances explained above your goodself is requested kindly make all possible efforts directing all Concerned Authorities for immediate opening of fertilize/pesticide outlets in all districts of the Valley with sufficient stock of standard type of fertilize/pesticides for its immediate spray so that “SCAB” in the Fruit orchards could be controlled and Valley Based Fruit Growers/Dealers who have faced any losses continuously since last several years due to one or the other reason can feel a sigh of relief.