Save Apple, Save Kashmir: ‘Fruit growers should receive pesticides, fertilisers at subsidised rates’

Kulgam, Aug 31: Senior CPI (M) leader and former MLA of Kulgam, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami on Thursday said that the Kashmir fruit growers and farmers should receive fertilisers and pesticides at subsidised rates. He made these remarks while addressing a conference of the Apple Farmers’ Federation of India (AFFI) in Kulgam.
During the conference, Tarigami said, “This is our collective voice of apple growers, who find themselves entangled in an array of difficulties owing to the government’s ill-conceived policies over the years. It is important to safeguard the interests of apple growers across diverse regions, including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Kashmir.”
“The verdant lands of Kashmir yield abundant apples and other fruits, not explosives,” Tarigami asserted, adding that the government should address the plight of apple growers and foster an enabling environment for their livelihoods.
He highlighted that the crux of apple growers’ sustenance hinges on the market prices of their produce.
Tarigami advocated that the government should exercise stringent efforts for quality control on fertilisers and pesticides.
He said the presence of dedicated scientists stationed within each district will ensure the quality and viability of the growers’ produce.”
Tarigami’s discourse included a comparative analysis with other states, most notably Karela. He questioned the rationale behind Kashmiri growers not enjoying similar subsidies on fertilisers, a privilege extended even by states that are not as prolific in apple cultivation.
“A critical need is the establishment of cold storage facilities. The government should champion this cause, providing growers with the means to withhold their produce until the market yields favourable prices. Moreover, we urge that the loan terms for the growers should be relaxed,” he said.
Tarigami further said that political parties should incorporate the concerns of farmers into their manifestos. “The farming community, bearing the mantle of nourishing the nation, merits unwavering attention and robust support,” he added.