Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Aug 9: Saying that fruit growers and traders of Jammu and Kashmir are facing tremendous challenges and difficulties to sell their produce due to prevailing Coronavirus pandemic, Chairman People’s Democratic Front (PDF) Hakeem Yaseen has urged the new Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha to issue orders, in his first opportunity, for re-introduction of the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) to help the fruit growers to market their fresh fruits especially apple and pear.
In a statement issued today, Hakeem Yaseen said that the fruit growers of Jammu and Kashmir are confronted with multiple challenges in marketing of their fruit produce due to prevailing Coronavirus pandemic adding that it was paramount duty of the Government to come to their rescue and make all necessary arrangements to ensure marketing of their produce so they are not put to economic loss, looming large upon them.
He urged Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to re-introduce MIS, in his first opportunity, to save fruit growers from the losses. He said fruit industry was the mainstay of J&K’s economy, which provides livelihood to about 25 lakh souls associated with fruit production and it’s trade, directly and indirectly, adding that Government should come up with a comprehensive policy to bail out the fruit trade from the prevailing crisis. He said re-introduction of MIS would help to provide a great deal of hassle free marketing facilities to the fruit growers and provide them good relief.
Hakeem Yaseen said adequate measures should be taken to procure both A- grade as well as C- grade apple and pears from fruit growers from the fruit mandies in their respective areas because it will be a herrucalian job to arrange adequate number of trucks / transport at individual level for exporting fruit to various fruit mandies in other states of the country in the prevailing situation due to pandemic.
Besides, he added, Government should also waive of KCC loans of the farmers and provide them subsidy on purchase of fungicides, fertilizers and fruit packaging materials. He said it was a golden opportunity for the new incumbent LG to rise to the occasion to bail out about 25 lakh souls associated with the fruit business, from the prevailing crisis confronting them.
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