Pulwama, Aug 30: The farmers at a conference here demanded MSP, cold storage and transport facilities for growers besides highlighting scores of other issues they face.
A district conference of apple farmers under the banner of the Apple Farmers Federation of Kashmir was held on Wednesday at Fruit Mandi, Prichoo Pulwama, with a focus on “Save Apple, Save Kashmir’. The conference was presided over by a Kisan leader Manzoor Ahmad Malik.
The conference discussed several issues confronting the Kisans associated with the apple industry. These issues included dwindling prices as per the previous year, increased input costs including rising prices of fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and inadequate cold storage facilities etc. “One cold store run by the government at Shopian is abandoned and dysfunctional which needs to be made functional. Although there is a cold storage facility of 2.5 lakh metric tons, we need an 8 lakh metric tons facility,” the farmers said.
While inaugurating the conference, veteran Kisan leader Zahoor Ahmad Rather expressed serious concern over the plight of orchardists in the region. He said, “The apple growers have been neglected by the government. The Market Intervention Scheme which has been stopped should be restarted enabling small and marginalised farmers to sell their produce at reasonable rates.”
Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami in his address said that apples provide livelihood to thousands of households in Kashmir but apple farmers are in distress. “The major issue confronting the apple farmers is the denial of remunerative price. They are being supplied with spurious pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers, which harm the produce instead of treating different diseases,” he said.
Tarigami urged the scientists and faculty of SKAUST to examine the remedy for it. He demanded the establishment of laboratories for testing these chemicals, and fertilisers by the Horticulture department in every apple-producing district. “There should be 100% import duty on foreign apples, provision of fertilizers and pesticides at subsidized rates to apple farmers, construction of cold stores at every apple producing Tehsil /District so that the apple could be dispatched to the markets well in time. All claims of development remain hollow unless livelihood issues of common people are not addressed,” he said.
The conference demanded hassle-free movement of apple-laden trucks on the national highway, and expansion of high-density apple varieties to apple farmers who opt for this scheme should be provided subsidies directly instead of private companies or individuals to encourage more farmers to opt for the scheme. The conference also demanded a government-regulated crop insurance scheme and regulation of transportation and freight charges. The farmers said the Horticulture department should guide the apple growers for a good crop.
The almond crop which is grown in Pulwama district is also facing distress, the farmers said, adding, “Due to lack of irrigation facilities, bumper crop, is not expected. Thus, demand raised for its irrigation must be addressed.”
Others who spoke on the occasion include President Kisan Tehreek Ghulam Mohamad Shah, Kisan leaders Mohmad Ashraf Shah, Mohd Ayoub Ashmandri, Ab Rashid Itoo, Ab Rashid Pandit CITU leader, Javid Ahmad Bhat President Fruit Mandi Pulwama. Former DDC Chairperson Pulwama Abdul Bari also greeted the conference.
