Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 7: With last year’s floods and this year’s rains in spring wreaking havoc with the vegetable farming in Dal lake, the cost of vegetables have sky-rocketed in Kashmir.
The bulk of the vegetables were grown in Dal lake but since last year’s floods the vegetable gardens are waterlogged which has led to crisis of vegetables in Kashmir.
The cost of locally grown leafy vegetable, Haakh which cost Rs 15-20 per kilogramme in this season last year was sold at Rs 60-80 per kg in Kashmir. Likewise, french beans costs Rs 100 per Kg and Nadru (stem of lotus plant) costs Rs 120 per Kg, whereas its price was Rs 80 per kg last year.
Hundreds of farmers in areas like Abikarpora, Nandpora, Mir Behri, Assital and Nageen lake who drew their sustenance from growing vegetables have suffered huge losses. Ashiq Ahmad Sheikh, a farmer, has suffered losses worth Rs 3 lakhs as he failed to produce anything in his garden this season. He said that last year he had 10 kanals under Nadru cultivation and grew other varieties of vegetables on 6 kanals of land. Sheikh used to invest about Rs 30,000 on his floating gardens and earned Rs 3 lakhs last year. “I am penniless now and am driving a Shikara in the Dal lake these days”, he said.
The farmers blamed Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) for their plight. They said that since last year’s flood, the LAWDA has maintained the water level of the Dal lake at 9 feet which is two feet above normal level, causing water logging in their floating gardens.
Meanwhile, Chief Agric-ulture Officer, Satinder Singh said that the Department of Agriculture has identified farmer families in 25 Mohallas in and around the Dal lake that have been hit by floods and rains and they will be adequately assisted and compensated”.
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