*Demand revival of MIS, rollout of crop insurance
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 29: A major umbrella body of fruit growers in Kashmir has urged the Centre to impose import duty of over 100% on American and European apples, warning that reduced tariffs under trade agreements are hurting the livelihoods of more than seven lakh families dependent on the horticulture sector.
In a memorandum submitted to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers-cum-Dealers Union raised a series of long-pending issues, including crop losses, lack of insurance, inadequate storage infrastructure and rising input costs.
The memorandum follows a fresh round of discussions with the minister and builds on assurances made during his visit to the SKUAST convocation last year.
Describing horticulture as the backbone of J&K’s economy, the Union said the reduction of import duty on foreign apples from 50% to 25% under Free Trade Agreements has failed to protect local growers.
It urged the Centre to raise the duty to over 100% to safeguard incomes, noting that the Valley-widely known as the “Land of Fruits”-depends heavily on apple cultivation for livelihoods, education and healthcare.
Highlighting structural losses, the Union said over 40% of apple produce each season falls under Grade C or consists of fallen fruit, pushing growers into financial distress.
It called for the revival of the Market Intervention Scheme, under which such produce was earlier procured by the government at fixed rates, but which has remained discontinued for several years.
The growers also pointed out that a Crop Insurance Scheme for horticulture, though announced, has yet to be implemented. Terming it a lifeline for marginal farmers, especially during natural disasters, they sought its immediate rollout on the lines of the agriculture sector.
The memorandum called for the establishment of at least 200 Controlled Atmosphere (CA) cold stores across north and south Kashmir with subsidy support, restoration of the top-up subsidy scheme for CA stores in Pulwama and Shopian, and creation of a separate horticulture estate with single-window clearance for processing units such as cold stores, juice plants and canning factories.
The Union warned that inadequate storage infrastructure leads to distress sales and post-harvest losses, particularly with the expansion of high-density plantations in south Kashmir.
Among other demands, the growers urged the Centre to allocate funds for the Clean Plant Programme at Wadoora in Sopore, for which land has already been acquired, establish a Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Baramulla to strengthen farmer training and technology access, and set up a dedicated horticulture university in north Kashmir.
They also sought clarity on the status of the disease-free plantation initiative announced earlier.
The memorandum flagged skyrocketing prices of pesticides and fertilisers, stating that high MRPs have made them unaffordable for marginal growers, and urged Government intervention to regulate prices. It also sought classification of tree spray oil as an agricultural product.
With the fruit season approaching, the Union demanded priority movement for fruit-laden trucks on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, even during convoy restrictions, to prevent spoilage of perishable produce such as cherry, plum, pear and early apple varieties.
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