news details |
|
|
| No buyers for Kashmiri apples, Horticulture department 'sleeps' | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Dec 8: The department of Horticulture planning and marketing despite spending crores for conducting and participating in exhibitions and paying marketing officer's outside state yielded nothing for orchardists as it could not attract buyers from different parts of country to buy apples of Kashmir.
Despite record 80 % grade-A, apple production this year compared to past five years, fruit growers of south Kashmir's Shopian, Pulwama, Kulgam and North Kashmir's Sopore and Baramulla districts informed Early times that one A-grade Apple box is sold for Rs 500, which is lowest price for an A-grade apple box weighing around 20 kgs in past ten years.
Apple growers said that department of Horticulture which claims providing marketing facilities to orchardists in and outside Jammu and Kashmir does not exist on ground as the department has no policy to attract buyers from different fruit markets of country to Kashmir.
"Had there been any marketing policy with government, we would not have been witnessing loss and no takers for Kashmir apples today, we have never seen officers of department of marketing in any part of country attracting buyers for Kashmir Apples or heard from buyers of Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata who visit here more often that they were attracted by marketing officers of department of Horticulture Kashmir," one apple grower Gulzar Ahmad from Sopore told Early Times. Mushtaq Ahmad, apple grower of Shopian, said that in previous years he would sell same Grade-A, apple box weighing around 20 kgs in local markets of Kashmir like in Fruit Mandi Sopore and Shopian to around Rs 1000 and in national markets like in Delhi fruit Mandi to around Rs 1200. Fruit growers said that buyers from different parts of country visit Kashmir and buy apples here through local agents of Kashmir and they do not know anything about marketing wing of Department of Horticulture.
As per official accounts around 22 officers of the department of Horticulture paid from state exchequer are stationed in different fruit markets of country to attract buyers for state, however instead attracting buyers, the routine work schedule of these officers is merely to collect daily market prices of fruits and vegetables in such markets.
This outdated marketing policy according to experts has never helped fruit growers and situation which started worsening few years back is now taking ugly turns with each passing day.
As per official details department of Horticulture Planning and Marketing participates in the state and country level fruit and vegetable shows like, India International Trade Fair, Krishi Expo Delhi, Agri Expo Lucknow, Agri Expo Chandigarh, World Food Day Celebration Srinagar, Vision 2002 Srinagar Fruit Exhibition Kolkata and as per sources participating in such shows and exhibitions costs crores of Rupees to the department.
According to experts participating in such shows and conducting exhibitions in and outside state for mere show off on a cost of crores of rupees from state exchequer is merely a useless activity unless marketing experts are not consulted in this task. Due to dysfunctional marketing policy of department of Horticulture fruit growers according to experts are open to exploitation by commission agents in local and national fruit markets of country where they are being charged with illegal deductions by the Commission Agents which at the end reduces net returns.
Despite repeated attempts Minister for Horticulture, Abdul Rehman Veeri could not be contacted for his comments. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
