Srinagar, Jun 29: Despite bumper cherry, plum and apricot crops this year, low market rates are worrying growers in Kashmir.
Several farmers who spoke to news agency KNO said that while the harvesting of the cherry in Kashmir is now at its end stage, the season of plum and apricot is at peak with growers being happy with the bumper crop this year. But the prevalent low prices have become a cause of concern for farmers across Kashmir.
Fayaz Ahmad, a grower from Shopian told KNO that this year cherry crop has been sold at one of the lowest prices and that farmers could not earn the amount they spent on spraying and fertilizers.
“Despite Covid-19 last year, we sold a cherry box containing 2 kg cherry for Rs 300 but this year the same box with better quality cherry fetched just 90 to 100 rupees, while, currently, it is fetching just Rs 50 to 60,” he said.
He said that the same trend was being experienced with plum and apricot even as due to rains, large quantities of plum and apricot got damaged.
Bashir Ahmad Basheer, chairman Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers and Dealers Union KNO said that this year due to hot weather in spring, cherry ripened a month earlier and the crop was ready when there was bulk produce of cherry in Himachal Pradesh.
“Everything depends on supply and demand but cherry from both Himachal and Kashmir reached the market at the same time, so there was very less demand and rates are around 60 to 70 percent lower than last year,” he said.
He said cherry is at the end stage and in recent days farmers suffered more losses due to rains and highway closure. Due to rains most plum produce got ready around the same time and due to highway closure for 4-5 days recently, damaged produce reached the markets.
Apricots and peach got damaged due to heavy rains besides low demand in marketing is also marring growers across Kashmir, he said. —(KNO)
