Srinagar, Dec 08: Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union and all Fruit associations of the Valley Tuesday extended their support to the Bharat Bandh call by the farmers who are seeking the repeal of the recently announced farm laws by the Government of India (GoI).

 

 Various heads from different fruit and dealers associations talking to Rising Kashmir expressed their support to the call across the Valley.

 

Talking to Rising Kashmir, Chairman, KVFG, Basheer Ahmad Basheer said they are extending their full support to the farmers genuine agitation.

 

"We appeal to the government to revoke recently passed farm bill," Basheer said.

 

The Fruit associations of the Valley that include Fruit Marketing Complex, Parimpora Srinagar, Sopore, Baramulla, Kupwara, Handwara, Shopian, Pulwama, Kulgam, Anantnag, Jablipora, Pachahar, Chari-e-Sharief and Ganderbal observed a complete shutdown on Tuesday.  

 

President Fruit Growers and Dealers Association Shopian, Mohammad Ashraf Wani said there is an apprehension of monopoly by agencies and cooperators under the garb of new farm laws.

 

 “It is just an eye wash. These new laws will aggravate further the miseries of the poor farmers and growers,” he said.

 

Wani said usually fruit growers go into the market where auctions or bids are held, "which is more beneficial to the growers."

 

“But if these laws are implemented these poor farmers and growers have to be satisfied for whatever price these cooperate houses or agencies shall set,” he said.

 

President Fruit Association Kulgam, Ghulam Mohammad Banday said these laws are not in the interest of the poor farmers and will hit them badly.

 

He said recently the government introduced a Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) in which grading of fruits was done.

 

“The price for grade A fruit was kept Rs. 58 per kg under MIS while there was variation of Rs 70-80 if the grower would have sold it into the private market," he said.

 

"Besides, there is heterogeneity mode of cultivation currently in practice in the valley by default thus affecting the quality and variety which won’t fetch much profit to the growers,” he said.

 

Banday said there won’t be Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC), "thus there shall be no Maximum sales Price (MSP)."

 

“The cooperators now have a free hand to exploit the farmers,” he said.