Shopian, Sep 30: The price of apple in Kashmir continues to remain low as being witnessed in different fruit markets, in the valley and outside, which has signaled a worry among the fruit growers here.
Talking to Kashmir Images, a group of fruit growers in south Kashmir said that they have already picked a huge quantity of apples whose packing is almost done, but the current prices in the fruits market are not satisfying which has compelled them to store the packed fruit either in their orchards or homes. “In the first couple of days, when harvesting of apples started the rates were quite satisfying, especially that of ‘Red Delicious’, but presently the fruit seems to have turned sour for the buyers as they want to buy it on throwaway prices,” they added.
The growers said that the fruit merchants from other states are citing the reason of recent floods in different regions of the country as for why the prices are not showing any improvement. “The fuel price has also doubled the transportation charges and thereby burning a hole in the pockets of fruit growers.”
President Fruit Mandi Shopian, Mohd Ashraf Wani, said, “Currently the price of an apple box ranges from 600 to 800 rupees which is very low as the transportation charges have been hiked in the wake of the upsurge in fuel prices .”
“Almost one lac fifty thousand apple boxes enter Shopian Mandi each day and almost 100 vehicles, loaded with apple boxes, are dispatched from Fruit Mandi Arhama every day,” he added.
