Suhail Bhat
Pulwama, Nov 15: Lack of space at the fruit market in South Kashmir’s Pulwama District is taking a heavy toll on the growers and their business as they are unable to showcase their crop to the buyers, resulting in low sales.
Three years ago, Government decided to expand the market by adding more than 50 kanals of land to it. Despite acquiring the land, authorities failed to compensate the affected people. The traders using the market blamed the authorities’ negligence for developing the infrastructure which is hurting not only the apple growers but also the overall economic development of the State.
Located at the Pirchoo area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama District, the fruit market caters to hundreds of villages across the district. Every day hundreds of growers along with traders, commission agents and transporters throng the market for the trading activities but face extreme difficulties to carry their business.
The fruit growers at the market said that the trade facilities are dismal as there are only three auction sheds.
Moreover, the market lacks a truck terminal which is an important part of the trade, forcing the drivers to park their vehicle outside the market on main road leading to disruption in the vehicular movement. “The drivers who come here to drop and load have to park their vehicles outside, leading to frequent traffic jams outside the market. In addition, we have to repeatedly shift our fruits as there is fear of damage,” Mohammad Ramzan, a grower said.
With more land being converted into apple orchards, there has been an increase in the apple production for last few years in the district. As per the figures of Horticulture Department, the area under crop yield increased from 12, 389 hectares in 2014 to 17, 072 hectares in 2018, subsequently increasing the production from 85, 095 metric tons (MTs) to 1,49,678.6 MTs. However, the full potential of the area has not been explored owing to deficiency of marketing and irrigation facilities.
The traders said besides easing the trade the market would have created jobs for hundreds of local youth. “Around 373 license holders work in the market and another 193 have applied. Authorities are unable to provide license due to space constraints,” Abid Rashid, a local said.
Director, Horticulture, Planning and Marketing, Shahnawaz Ahmad Bukhari, said that they cannot vacate the acquired land until all the affected people are compensated. “Out of Rs. 10 crore that were to be given as compensation to the affected, more than Rs.6.50 crore have been released by the Government. We are awaiting the pending Rs. 3.50 crore and once the amount is released the land will be vacated,” he said.
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