Reports coming in from reliable sources with considerable expertise indicate that Kashmir horticulture is worst affected by the recent floods and rains. The entire crop of apples has been ruined. It will be noted that nearly 30 lakh people in the Valley are involved in horticulture industry. According to a report of ASSOCHEM, horticulture losses could go as high as 1,000 crore rupees. Districts of Baramulla, Sopore and Kupwara are among the main apple producing areas of the valley and apple industry is the mainstay of the economy of people in these districts. Horticulture contributes almost 50 per cent of 2,000 crore agricultural cum horticulture products in the valley. Primarily, the producers of horticultural products especially apple are the frontline sufferers of the devastated horticulture industry but apart from that collateral damages are in no way less. This winter the markets of Northern India up to Delhi will go without Kashmir apple and one can imagine the magnitude of losses which big traders and retail sellers of Kashmir fruit will have to go through.
It would be in fitness of things if the losses on account of devastated horticulture are also calculated and financial support is extended to those whose economy depended on horticulture products. The State Government should appoint teams of assessors from Revenue Department to work under the supervision of Deputy Commissioners of the districts concerned to build a genuine record of the damages suffered by the apple growers and all who are involved in this industry. Support has to be provided to those or fruit growers in particular whose apple and other fruit bearing trees have been uprooted and new plantation is needed. An apple sapling takes about five years to grow to the level of producing apples if everything goes right. This is a tremendous and incalculable loss to those who are involved with this industry.
There is one more aspect to the issue. It is to be seen whether the soil remain fit for the growth of apple trees once stagnant waters recede and new layer of soil comes up. Apple tree is a sensitive tree and it does not grow fully on alien soil. Agricultural University will have to conduct extensive survey to find out whether there is any big change in the quality of soil. It is also to be noted that while new plantation of apple saplings is to be made in late winter, the quality of saplings that will be provided to the farmers should be a tested one, and a guarantee will have to be obtained that these do not carry specific diseases that would not allow the trees to flourish and produce apple of quality. It would be in fitness of things if the Horticulture Department takes this occasion to introduce new and more conducive variety of apple trees that does not become a victim to scabs.
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