Kulgam, April 21: Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Kulgam, Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami on Sunday visited Nillow and Pariwan areas of the district to assess the damage caused to apple orchards due to recent heavy rains.
Accompanied by officials from the agriculture and horticulture department, Tarigami expressed concern over the losses suffered by farmers and called for urgent intervention by the government.
“Before it’s too late, farmers’ hard work must be protected. An insurance scheme should be implemented to compensate for crop loss due to natural calamities,” he said.
The CPI(M) leader said the entire economy and society in Kashmir revolve around agriculture—be it apples, walnuts, saffron, barley, or wheat. He warned that the continuous decline in employment, coupled with climate-induced crop damage, has left both farmers and educated youth anxious about their futures.
“Our farms have been destroyed. If we want prosperity and happiness, there must be a means of livelihood. Agriculture, being our primary source of income, has suffered repeated blows from natural disasters,” he said.
Tarigami said that despite repeated appeals, there has been no concrete initiative by the government to introduce comprehensive crop insurance. “We have demanded insurance schemes where the government’s role is visible—not the ones made for corporate giants. The affected farmers must receive compensation,” he added.
The MLA Kulgam said neither Jammu nor Kashmir has seen any effective implementation of such schemes so far. “There are slogans of development and promises of better days, but what has actually been done for the farmers?” he asked. “This is a national issue—it concerns Himachal Pradesh, it concerns Jammu and Kashmir. Agriculture is a priority sector and deserves attention.”
Tarigami added, “We don’t have big factories. Our only ‘factory’ is the apple orchard. From marriage expenses to school fees to healthcare, everything depends on it. And it’s all gone now.”
The CPI(M) leader raised concerns about global market pressures, saying that tariff wars and external competition could further damage the local apple economy. “On one hand, there’s the destruction from calamities, and on the other, our markets are being taken over by big players,” he said.
