Budgam: The District Conference of Apple growers under the banner of the Apple Farmers Federation of Kashmir was held on Sunday at Charari Sharief Budgam with a focus on the theme “Save Apple, Save Kashmir. The conference was presided over by Kisan leader Gh Qadir Hafroo.
The conference discussed various issues confronting apple growers in the area. It demanded MSP, hassle-free movement of apple-laden trucks on the National Highway, expansion of a high-density scheme, and direct subsidy to growers instead of private companies or individuals. The conference also demanded the revival of the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS), the government-regulated crop insurance scheme and the regulation of freight charges.
While addressing the conferences, CPI(M) leader Mohmdd Yousuf Tarigami expressed serious concern over the plight of apple farmers in the region. He said apple growers are in distress as they faced huge losses during the last years as their input cost increased and the crop was sold at cheap rates.
He said that two-thirds of the crop like C grade is unworthy of the market. “This fruit could easily be diverted to the juice industry for better use and reduce the loss to some extent but the state-owned juice plant run by the J&K Horticulture Producing and Marketing Corporation (JKHPMC) in Doabgah Sopore has been defunct for a long. At one point in time, it was exporting its high-quality concentrate to some of the major chains in foreign countries. After almost a decade now closure, the unit has been revived.”
He demanded the revival of the unit and demanded setting up of more units in the valley.
Others who spoke on the occasion include President Kisan Tehreek Ghulam Mohamad Shah, Kisan leaders Ghulam Qadir Hafroo and Manzoor Ahmad Malik.
Bashir Ahmad Baba President of Fruit Association Charari Sharief and Social activist advocate Abdul Rashid Hanjoora greeted the conference.
