Ziraat Times News Desk
SRINAGAR: The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union, representing the backbone of Jammu and Kashmir’s economy, has submitted a comprehensive memorandum to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah seeking massive budgetary support for the 2026-27 fiscal year. Highlighting that over seven lakh families depend on the horticulture sector, the Union’s Chairman, Bashir Ahmad Basheer, warned that urgent interventions are needed to stabilize an industry crippled by recent disasters.
The memorandum outlines 15 critical areas requiring immediate financial allocation and policy shifts to rejuvenate the sector.
Compensation for 2025 “Devastating Deluge”
The most pressing demand is a comprehensive compensation package for losses estimated at approximately ₹2,000 Crores. The Union detailed a “Natural Disaster” in August/September 2025, followed by a 20-day blockage of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway. This crisis left thousands of fruit-laden trucks stranded and forced harvested crops to rot in orchards and Mandies, completely disrupting market demand.
Market Interventions and Insurance
The Union has called for the re-introduction of the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS), which has been shelved for several years. They noted that over 40% of the annual apple crop consists of “Grade C” or fallen fruit, leading to heavy losses that the MIS previously mitigated by allowing government lifting of lower-grade produce. Additionally, they demanded the implementation of a Crop Insurance Scheme for horticulture, similar to the existing framework for the agriculture sector.
To address systemic storage shortages, the Union proposed:
Horticulture Estates: Establishing dedicated estates on the pattern of Industrial Estates to house CA stores, juice plants, and canning factories under a Single Window System.
Cold Storage Expansion: Setting up 150-200 CA/Cold Stores on a society basis, particularly in North Kashmir, backed by government subsidies.
Rate Regulation: Currently, private cold stores charge “sky-touching rates” at their own discretion. The Union requested that the government step in to fix storage rates for the apple crop.
A major shift in packaging was suggested due to the rising cost of traditional wooden crates (paties). The Union requested subsidies for Cardboard Boxes with Trays, similar to the model used in Himachal Pradesh, and a total ban on silicate-based cardboard boxes, which they termed hazardous to health.
Further input demands include:
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Treating Tree Spray Oil as an agricultural product.
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Granting subsidies on fertilizers and pesticides and introducing organic alternatives.
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Establishing Testing Laboratories in every district equipped with latest machinery to help growers avoid crop losses.
