Excelsior Correspondent
SOPORE, June 8: Former Minister and AICC member Abdul Gani Vakil has expressed grave concern over neglect of fruit industry in Kashmir valley.
Addressing workers meeting here Vakil said that over five lakh people were associated with horticulture produce and were solely dependent on this industry for their livelihood but uncared attitude of Govt has left many people high and dry. He said during past few months, the fruit growers have been badly hit due to unpredictable weather conditions, hail storms and hostile conditions but no one from the Government had ever bothered to assess the damages suffered by fruit growers.
Vakil urged the Chief Minister to pay attention towards this sector and help fruit growers by extending incentives. He said the fruit growers are being extended no incentives due to which they were not able to grow and compete with other growers of Himachal Pradesh. The Congress leader said there is no cold storage facility available to the fruit growers which could otherwise, have helped them save their produce and maintain quality as well. He said after tourism, horticulture is the second biggest employment generating sector in the State. Govt’s inability to have a new and upgraded marketing policy at par with other states could have made a big difference in the lives of fruit growers, Vakil added.
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