Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Sep 17: The apple season in Kashmir has started on a positive note after witnessing a good demand as well as fetching good prices in different markets across the valley.
Growers from different areas of Kashmir said that there is good demand of traditional kulu delicious apples and growers are fetching reasonable prices presently.
Mohammed Shafi, a grower from Shopian, said that he has send around 100 boxes of apple to Delhi at the cost of Rs 900 per box.
“Initially there were reports that there is a less demand of Kashmiri apples, but despite that I dispatched my produce outside valley and have got good prices,” Shafi said.
President All Fruit Growers Association Kashmir Bashir Ahmad said that the season has started normally and he is hopeful that the demand will increase as the peak time of the season is yet to come.
Bashir said that initially there was good demand of high density apples and growers fetched good prices, however, at the end of high density apple season there was huge decline of rates in almost all markets.
He said that there was decline in the rates due to bumper crop in Himachal Pradesh this year.
“Rates of some of the varieties of pear and palm were also low this year. However, some of the varieties of pear like Nakh are fetching good prices presently,” Bashir said.
“Government is making efforts to provide every help to the growers,” he said, while requesting them to ensure the hassle free movement of fruit laden trucks so that growers won’t suffer of any losses.
