After suffering losses due to various reasons in recent years, fruit growers in Kashmir are seeing traditional apples fetch higher prices in the market this season. A fruit grower from the Pulwama district claimed that compared to last year when they struggled to sell their produce and received minimal profits, this year, they have been receiving offers from fruit businesses to purchase their yield. Most orchards have received more than double the prices they received in the different apple Mandis last year, he said.
Kashmirconvener.com reported that President of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union (KVFGCDU), Basheer Ahmad, while acknowledging that the production has reduced this year, assured that demand has been steady and strong so far.
Shopian district growers struggle to irrigate farms
Water pumps and engines are seemingly grinding continuously at the dense apple farms of south Kashmir’s Shopian district. The absence of rains during the ongoing season has begun taking a toll on the crop, spurring many growers to press machines into service to irrigate their farms.
According to the farmers, the rainfall deficiency during August and September has significantly impacted the size and color of the fruit. The apple growers say that the protracted dry spell in some areas has also resulted in the sunscald of apples.
With harvesting season yet to fully begin in the area, the farmers in the area are looking forward to rainfall.
Source: greaterkashmir.com
