English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Russian
Spanish
Urdu
By Noor UL Shahbaz
Jammu and Kashmir is suffering particularly from political unrest from 2019 but at the same time this year and at present times we are badly suffering from the setback to our fruit industry particularly to apple growers of Kashmir. Kashmiri Apple is losing its identity like we Kashmir’s lost our special status in terms of Article 370 and 35-A. Since time immemorial the people here are engaged with apple and it is presently one of the main source of income for around 60-70% families who are directly or indirectly involved with it. An important mean of livelihood for our family, for education of our children, for construction of residential houses, for marriage of son’s and daughters, and for other relevant obligations, they all rest on the income from the apple industry. The fruit grower involves his whole family efforts to plant, grow up, maintain and protect the apple trees by investing on the labor force, sprays, chemical and manures. Our apple garden’s grow up by investing health and wealth and are main source of income, hence at times are considered alike the children [although Islamic commandment is different]. The apple industry, worth over Rs 8,000 crore, is the backbone of Jammu and Kashmir’s economy. As many as 3.5 million persons are directly or indirectly dependent on the apple trade, contributing about 8 per cent to the region’s GDP. This industry is also one of the sources for absorption of educated unemployed youth of our valley besides providing ample opportunity to others as well. The livelihood for around 60-70 per cent of the population of Kashmir rests on directly or indirectly on this fruit business. One of the main hubs of this apple industry is in North Kashmir in Sopore town known by the name “Sopore Fruit Mandi”. Fruit growers from all parts of Kashmir send their fruit boxes to this fruit mandi. Apple growers before establishment of the Sopore Fruit Mandi were directly sending their apples to Azadpur Mandi Delhi but when the Sopore Fruit Mandi in North Kashmir was established (with a trade of Rs 5,000 crore, is one of the largest fruit mandis in Asia regarding fruit production) now the fruit growers prefer to sell their apples in Sopore Fruit Mandi. I am writing this article on the context that this year apple growers faced the setback of around 50% reduction on the rate of one of the finest “shilma delicious” although the rate of Kashmiri American survived to somehow. But in general we saw the general reduction in rates in comparison to the past 2019 years. More importantly from around few days ago the Kashmir fruit industry has come to a screeching halt and is on the verge of collapse due to the apathy of inept authorities. Lack of smooth passage to trucks carrying fruits, essentially apples, on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway had taken a heavy toll on fruit growers across Kashmir, as they continue to face losses and stare at an impending livelihood crisis. Several fruit growers and representatives of associations said that despite a government order to ensure seamless movement of fruit-laden vehicles, authorities have miserably failed to implement it on ground. Although from last night the free access has been given but the effect by halt of trucks, demand-supply process will surely play a role of salt on injury as already there is reduction in market rate. Meanwhile the fruit growers are asked to slowdown the harvesting of apples from orchards as the halt in trucks and already stock available in Mandi will more slowly down the rates. But how come it is possible when the harvesting time in general has started, if not done the apples will fall down from trees. All growers have not access to cold stores only a few in number, payment thereto, and already reduced market rate, how come that balance can be maintained. I talked to one of the young and educated fruit vendor [Mudasir Ahmad Lone from Bungam, Pohrupeth] and also Abbas Ahmad Dar from Palpora, Qaziabad [understood from his comment on my post with regard to reduction of rates) in Fruit Mandi Sopore about the reduction of rates to our Kashmiri Apple (once well-known). I am now writing my analysis of the conversation that our Kashmiri Apples are on the brink of losing their market because of the fact that Iranian apples have flooded the Indian markets leading to a decline in demand and prices of high-quality Kashmiri apples. According to another report which i got from online portal, “Bashir Ahmad Bashir, President Kashmir Valley Fruit Association in Srinagar, has told NewsClick that Iranian apples first arrived last year, following which the fruit associations and growers protested. Bashir says this year apple production in Kashmir was good, but so was it in Iran. “Since there are sanctions on Iran, they have turned to India. We had already written to the government that if Iranian apples enter the country, it will impact Kashmir’s apple industry. Due to the sanctions, Iranian apples are sold at cheaper rates,” he added. An irony on part of Indian government is that if they claim Kashmir as their heart, then why Kashmiri Apple is not exported in international market every year, why to restrict it only to Bangladesh and Nepal. On one side there is general up rise in market of our essential commodities including the necessary equipments, requirements for our fruits as well [sprays, boxes, labor, packaging etc.] and on the other side we are getting minimum rates for our yearly hard labor involved in this very sector. If this situation will go on the Kashmiri people will not harvest fruits rather will cut down these gardens. Taking the above statements in consideration we all apple growers are demanding that the government of India should bar the Iranian apples from entering the country’s market or at least increase import duties so that there is some respite for domestic apple producers. Iranian apples not only threaten our current produce but everything that we have in cold or normal storages for upcoming summer months. We may suffer severe looses if the current trend continues; our apples will rot in our orchards, homes and cold stores. Further I suggest all our apple growers to carry on this business but with sincerity, look into the grading of apples, not to spray untimely chemicals so to get color when the fruit is not ready to harvest.
