Kashmir Apple Farmers: The apple farmers of Kashmir are very worried these days as the demand for Kashmiri apples has decreased in the market. The market of Kashmiri apples is fading due to apples coming from Iraq at a cheaper price.
Why are the apple farmers of Kashmir worried?
Apple Farmers of Kashmir are very worried these days. Because crores of boxes of apples grown by them are still kept in cold stores. Because the apples of Iran are coming in the market here at a cheap price, due to this the demand for the apples of Kashmir is decreasing. Significantly, apple farming is said to be the backbone of the economy of Kashmir. Thousands of people of Kashmir get direct or indirect employment through apple cultivation. Although apples came from Iran and other countries last year as well. At that time the apple production was affected due to bad weather. Due to this, the farmers of Kashmir did not make much difference. But this time there was a better yield than last time. Due to this, the farmers here are very worried this time.
The apple farmers of Kashmir say that the cost of cultivating apples is increasing every year. The laborers working in apple orchards take 10 to 15 thousand rupees per month. This crop happens once in a year, so farmers have a lot of hope from it. But this time due to less demand for apples, farmers are also facing problems in giving money to laborers, apart from this there are many farmers who want to buy pesticides and medicines on credit, but this time there is a delay in selling apples. Because of this they are also facing problems.
Apple reaches Mumbai by sea
Bashir Ahmed Bashir, chairman of the Kashmir Valley Fruits cum Dealers Union and president of the New Kashmir Fruit Association, said that at present apples from Iran are coming here. Apples from Afghanistan and Iraq are also reaching Mumbai via Dubai. The warehouses there are full of apples there. Behind the reason for ordering apples from there, he told that the prices of apples coming from there are cheap. Apples are being found here in Indian currency at the rate of 15 rupees per kg. Due to this, the prices of apples have come down and the demand for Kashmiri apples has decreased in the market.
2.5 to 3 crore boxes are kept in godowns
Bashir Ahmed Bashir said that due to low demand for Kashmiri apples, 2.5 to 30 million boxes are still kept in CA stores. Apart from 50-60 CA stores in Kashmir, apples are also kept in godowns outside the state. He said that he does not oppose imports from other countries, but when sufficient quantity is being produced in our country, then why apples are being imported from other countries. Apart from Kashmir, farmers of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are also suffering in this. At the same time, the farmers cultivating apples are getting discouraged. Also said that when our Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks about Make in India, then the interests of the farmers of the country should also be taken care of.
Read also: How to do apple cultivation in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, agricultural scientist gave complete information
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