With the reducing intensity of covid-19 pandemic the economic slowdown witnessed during last more than two years of pandemic is slowly moving to the path of recovery. The restoration of business activities has generated hopes of economic revival in every key sector of economy including agriculture and horticulture sectors in Jammu & Kashmir. Amid a steep rise in unemployment triggered by two successive covid lockdowns in the last two years the hopes of employment generation in agriculture and horticulture sectors have been unfortunately shattered by successive strokes of hailstorm in several parts of Kashmir valley and more so in North and South Kashmir districts. Chances of recovery from the losses are reducing as the fundamental challenges in the twin sectors of agriculture and horticulture sectors still remain there are as farmers and orchardists are still fraught with business risks like bad weather, pest and insect attacks and market price fluctuations. In a scenario of rising economic stress compensation and market intervention initiatives from the government could be the only two sources of recovery for the farmers and the fruit growers from the losses they have suffered so for. Besides demand for compensation for the losses caused by the recent hailstorms the farmers and apple growers are crying for waivers of the KCC loans availed by them in recent years . It may be mentioned here that short term KCC loans are given to farmers for purchasing various inputs and other farm needs. Demands for compensation, waiver over KCC loans and market intervention initiatives deserve the immediate attention of the government due to the difficulties Kashmir fruit growers face in arranging transportation services for taking their apple stocks to different fruit markets of the country.
Apple transported from Kashmir often perishes on the way due to scarcity of refrigerated trucks and as such growers always remain under economic stress. Compensation, waiver of KCC loans and market intervention initiatives if given a nod for immediate implementation will likely rekindle the hopes of hapless farmers and orchardists in valley.
Irrefutable fact is that transportation of apple from Kashmir becomes very expensive due to frequent traffic disruptions on Jammu-Srinagar highway during peak winter months when apples are loaded in trucks and delivered in different apple markets of the country. Never forget that varieties of apple produced in Kashmir are highly perishable and their delivery in different markets of the country at the proper time has a direct bearing on the earning of apple growers of valley. Never forget the fact that apple transported from Kashmir often perishes on the way due to scarcity of refrigerated trucks and as such growers always remain under economic stress. Compensation, waiver of KCC loans and market intervention initiatives if given a nod for immediate implementation will likely rekindle the hopes of hapless farmers and orchardists in valley.
