Horticulture is an important economic sector of the State and Kashmir valley is well known for its varieties of fruit fresh as well as dry. In recent years, owing to support and patronage of the Horticulture Department, fruit industry in Kashmir has made considerable progress. The industry has many aspects like preservation, transportation, marketing, diversification and investment etc. All these aspects have to be taken into consideration.
It is highly encouraging to know from an official report of Horticulture Department that the quantum of export of fruit from the Valley this year between April 2016 and September 2016 has been whopping 300366 MTs against only 124990 MTs during the corresponding period of the last year. This shows two and half times increase in export which speaks for good health of the industry. Between September 1, 2016 and September 30, 2016, a total of 22117 truckloads carried 249996 MTs of fresh and dry fruit as against only 66259 MTs of fruit in 7291 truckloads for the same period last year. Export of dry fruit also showed significant increase this autumn in comparison to the previous year.
This highly encouraging prospect of export of Kashmir fruit outside the Valley is for two main reasons. One is the considerable input of the Horticulture Planning and Marketing Department in a number of aspects and the second is favourable weather conditions for boost in the production. It has also to be noted that during the peak time of this summer, Kashmir valley witness recurring calls for strikes which normally should have caused much damage to the industry because normal life was disrupted in the Valley and continues to be so even now. The data that has come to our hands about the export of dry and fresh fruit shows that the call for strike has had very little or no impact on those who are involved in the industry. We are very happy that this industry has not been affected rather it has shown exceptionally good performance and for that we extend felicitations to the entire horticulture community of the State.
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