Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers cum Dealers Union, which is an apex body of All Fruit Growers and Dealers Associations, has sought government intervention to save cherry crop.
In a statement, the growerssaid in 2019 the Valley-based fruit Growers and dealers suffered massive lossesdue to the lockdown and untimely heavy snowfall followed by continued closureof Srinagar-Jammu National Highway and also in 2020 they are suffering dueCOVID19 closure.
“Cherry season is tocommence from first week of next month (i.e. May 2020) and 12000-13000 metrictons of cherry is yearly produced. Since the cherry crop is extremelyperishable item, the same needs to be transported to its destinationsparticularly to Mumbai and Delhi on war footing basis where completerestrictions are imposed,” said the statement.
“One variety of Cherry Cropis known as Double Cherry and this entire variety is lifted by factory ownersfor canning, on the other hand all these factory owners are restricted leavingno hope for poor cherry Growers to sell out there double cherry to factoryowners. Similarly, Tin Manufacturing industries are also closed in view ofrestrictions as the tins are essentially required for canning of double cherry.Packing material (Bardhana) is also not available in and outside J&K inview of complete restrictions similarly pesticides, fungicides, fertilizeoutlets are also open only for an hour due to lockdown.”
The statement said thatCherry Growers are extremely worried in view of fast approaching time ofharvesting of the crop and urge government to intervene immediately.