Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 2: Senior Vice President of Peoples Conference and former Minister Abdul Gani Vakil today demanded a special package for the fruit growers and apple traders.
In a statement issued here, Vakil said that most of the people dealing with apples had kept the fruit in cold storages in different cities of the country like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Calcutta, Patna etc, which has got rotten because of COVID-19 lockdown, leading to huge losses to fruit growers.
“Apple traders had already faced massive losses in the recent past because of unexpected heavy snow fall and hailstorms,” Vakil added
Vakil also expressed concern over the untimely fall of apple blossom which has raised alarm bells among the fruit growers and apple traders with many speculations that it will lead to losses even this year also as the reason being that substandard pesticides provided to fruit growers in the market.
“Govt has failed to check the quality of pesticides that lead to untimely fall of apple blossom,” Vakil said
Former Minister blamed the administration for its callous approach and demanded probe to know as to who is responsible for ruining this important industry which is the backbone of our economy.
Vakil urged Lieutenant Governor, GS Murmu to take this important issue of rotten apple in different cold storages on priority basis with the Central Govt with the recommendation for the special package including waving off KCC loan.
He further urged the Govt to take concrete measures to stop further falling of apple blossom by taking the advice of horticulture experts.
“Govt must identify those elements who are responsible for providing substandard pesticides to fruit growers and apple traders in the market “.Vakil further added.
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