Srinagar: Senior Vice President Peoples Conference and former Minister, Abdul Gani Vakil, expressed concern over the sluggish development of Horticulture sector in Kashmir
Vakil today addressed workers meetings in Waripora, Duligund and Chijhama in Rafiabad.
In a statement issued here, Vakil said that government has till date failed to launch a result-oriented program for the development of the Fruit Industry. “The important sector has become a victim of government negligence as well as the covid 19 lockdown as half of the production of near about 18000 MT got rotten due to lack of marketing and other allied facilities last year.”
“As much as 50 per cent production has gone to dustbins because no benchmarks were kept to establish cold storages or juice factories equipped with latest technology,” Vakil said.
He said the fruit industry is the mainstay of Kashmiris economy which also provides livelihood to lakhs of people directly and indirectly but still Govt is not concerned about it.
Vakil alleged that the Government although assured fruit growers special package, adequate compensation of losses of fruit orchards last year and this year but it is surprising and unfortunate that it has failed to fulfill its promises and thereby added to the mesiries of fruit growers and traders.
Vakil urged the Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to establish cold storage and juice factory equipped with latest technology in Sopore fruit mandi and to take the issue of huge losses faced by the fruit growers last year and this year too with the central Government with the strong recommendations of sanctioning of special economic package including waiving of borrowings under Kisan Credit Card.
“Natural calamities last year and COVID- 19 this year across the Valley caused massive damage to the fruit industry,” he said.
Besides, others who addressed the meetings include senior leaders the block Bashir Ahmed Sumji, Sheikh Ghulam Nabi, Abdul Salam and Abdul Rashid Lone.
