Apple growers suffer

The fruit industry in Jammu and Kashmir is considered as the backbone of the Union Territory’s economy. However, just a year later, the apple growers earned a good amount after the government’s several initiatives including establishment of cold storage and others. But, this year, there has been a decline in the demand of Kashmiri apples, due to certain reasons, which include the import of apples from Iran as well as the lockdown imposed in several states of the county in wake of the surge in the deadly Covid-19 pandemic cases. The growers in Kashmir are worried with regard to the low rates of the Kashmiri apples in outside markets, demanding the government to ensure that the fruit growers in the Valley would not suffer any further. The fruit growers in Kashmir have suffered huge losses after the outbreak of Covid-19. But as the government took a series of steps, the fruit growers here heaved a sigh of relief. This year again, the apple growers and others associated with the trade have suffered losses due to the decline in the demand of Kashmiri apples. Therefore, in order to assist the apple growers, the government back in Jammu and Kashmir should intervene into the matter and take up the issue with the central government to find ways for ensuring that the Kashmiri apple growers will not suffer any further and their produce is again in a demand in the outside markets so that the growers and others associated with the trade would heave a sigh of relief.