Srinagar, Aug 23: The Valley based fruit growers Monday refuted the government claims that the growers had earned Rs 87 crore over past couple of months.  
 The fruit growers said they were rather incurring a huge loss of nearly Rs 100 crore each month presently in wake of prevailing unrest.
 “At a time when we are incurring huge losses, the department of Horticulture is claiming that we have earned Rs 87 crore, which is absolutely wrong and baseless. We condemn such statements on the part of the government,” said Bashir Ahmad Bashir, Chairman trade, New Kashmir Fruit Growers Association.
 The Valley fruit growers, he said, would file a writ petition in the court, in case the department did not deny the statement.
 He said all the fruits markets across the Valley, including Srinagar, Sopur, Shopian, Pulwama and Kulgam, were completely shut for past two and a half months, except for a few days of relaxation. “Besides, the offices of Horticulture department have been shut for the same period of time, so we fail to understand how the officials have come up with these calculations,” said Bashir.
 Pertinently, a section of press on Monday had carried reports, which quoted the department of Horticulture, as claiming that the Valley based fruit growers had earned Rs 87 crore during past 50 days.
 The fruit growers alleged that such steps were being taken only to give an impression that “All is Well” in the Valley. “Fruit growers are very much with peoples’ movement,” they said.
 The growers said they were presently earning only 20 per cent of the actual cost of the fruits. “Last year one box of Baboo Gosha (a variety of pear) was sold at Rs 500 in Delhi, whereas this year it is sold at merely Rs 100,” they said.
 The Association, at a meeting held here today with Haji Muhammad Yousuf Sofi in chair, termed the government advertisement as an attempt to malign the fruit growers and dealers. “We are strictly adhering to the protest calendar,” they added.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 23 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
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