India: Bumper cherry crop fails to bring benefits to growers
There are reports that low demand, coupled with high yield, has brought prices down by as much as 200%.
“This year though the production is very good, the demand is quite low. Rates have come down shrinking the margin for the farmers, who have worked tirelessly for cultivating and maintaining the quality of cherry,” said Bashir Ahmad Bashir, President, Fruit Association Parimpora Mandi.
He blames exporters for part of the problem, explaining that the growers cannot export directly and that processors do not offer what he says would be a fair price. This devalues the crop, he says, making it harder to generate a profit.
The processors themselves dispute this, however, saying that they don't determine the value of the cherries. He says this is determined by supply and demand factors.
According to officials of Horticulture Department, the Kashmir Valley this year is going to record a bumper output of 11,000 metric ton cherry.
Source: greaterkashmir.com
