news details |
|
|
| India–US trade deal heats up J&K politics; Cong to bring Rahul, Kharge to Kashmir | | |  Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 27: Amid growing political and economic concerns over the proposed India–US trade agreement, the Congress has announced plans to bring its top leadership to the Kashmir Valley to engage directly with fruit growers, as the debate over the deal’s impact on Jammu and Kashmir intensifies.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge are expected to visit the Valley next month to interact with farmers and fruit growers, party leaders said. The move comes at a time when apprehensions are mounting over the likely fallout of duty concessions on American agricultural imports, particularly apples.
Political activity around the issue is expected to gather momentum in the Union Territory, especially after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah voiced strong reservations about the proposed pact.
Apple growers from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand have also decided to stage a protest in Delhi next month against the proposed reduction in import duties on US apples, arguing that such measures would severely impact domestic producers.
The decision to involve the party’s top leadership was taken during a six-hour marathon meeting of the Jammu and Kashmir Congress, where leaders discussed what they described as the “anti-farmer” nature of the India–US trade deal. The meeting, chaired by J&K Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra, was attended by senior leaders, MLAs, former ministers, and representatives from all 20 districts of the Union Territory.
Addressing the gathering, Karra alleged that the agreement would disproportionately affect farmers and fruit growers in Jammu and Kashmir, where horticulture forms a crucial pillar of the economy. He claimed that farmers’ interests had been compromised and asserted that the Congress and other opposition parties had serious objections to the “mode, manner, and contents” of the deal.
Calling upon party workers to mobilize at the g LOP Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge are expected to visit Kashmir next month to interact with farmers and fruit growers.
The move comes at a time when apprehensions are mounting over the likely fallout of duty concessions on American agricultural imports, particularly apples.
Political activity around the issue is expected to gather momentum in the Union Territory, especially after CM Omar Abdullah.
The CM has warned that duty-free imports of American agricultural products could pose a significant challenge to Jammu and Kashmir’s horticulture sector.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has already expressed serious concerns about the implications of the proposed trade agreement, warning that duty-free imports of American agricultural products could pose a significant challenge to Jammu and Kashmir’s horticulture sector.
He cautioned that products such as apples, almonds, walnuts, and other fresh and dry fruits—core commodities of the Union Territory—could face stiff competition if allowed to enter the Indian market without adequate safeguards.
“If agricultural produce from countries like the US starts entering our markets under this trade deal, particularly horticulture products, we will be forced to compete on production, productivity, and quality,” Abdullah said.
However, he questioned whether the agreement would bring tangible benefits to Jammu and Kashmir. According to him, while the broader national impact remains to be assessed, the immediate outlook for the Union Territory appears worrying.
He further argued that the deal could create an uneven playing field, where high-quality imports dominate the market, potentially undermining local growers who have invested heavily in improving varieties and storage infrastructure, including Controlled Atmosphere (CA) facilities.
“Our growers have worked hard to enhance quality and ensure timely supply to markets. If cheaper imports flood the market, it could seriously hurt their returns,” the Chief Minister said.
With both the Congress and the ruling National Conference leadership raising concerns, the India–US trade deal is set to emerge as a major political and economic issue in Jammu and Kashmir in the coming weeks. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
