More isnt enough

Despite an increase of almost three lakh metric tonne of apple compared to the previous years yield,apple growers in the Valley have little to cheer about. The reason: the returns are less compared to what they got last year. The contradiction is explained by the fact that the share of low-quality crop in the yield is more this time.

It is not the rates which are low but the share of C-grade production has increased this year and that is why it is yielding less returns to the farmers, said Riyaz Ahmad,information officer,planning and marketing,horticulture department of Jamp;K.

Since the demand of A-grade apple in the outside market is high and fetches a good amount of profit,every apple grower aims to produce maximum number of A-grade apples, he said.

According to the figures provided by the National Horticulture Board,Jamp;K is the largest apple producing state of India,with a market share of 70 per cent.

With the government acting as a promoter and facilitator,apple production in Jammu and Kashmir is completely in the private sector,having an annual turnover of Rs 4,500 crore.

In the previous year,we sold a box of A-grade apple for Rs 1,000,but this year the rates did not cross Rs 700-750 per box, says Bashir Ahmad,president of the New Kashmir Fruit Association,Parimpora,Srinagar.

The rates for apple,like every year,are fixed on the basis of demand and supply and the quality.

According to Bashir,the quality of apple was affected by the sudden change in weather and by the outbreak of Alternaria mali disease a pathogenic fungus which develops in temperature range of 25-30 degree Celsius accompanied with wet conditions,and damages leaves of infected apple trees.

However,the officials at the horticulture department claim that the department was prompt in its response to the outbreak of the disease.

Our department quickly swung into action and took a number of efforts to limit the effects of the disease, says Qazi Aijaz,deputy director,planning and marketing,horticulture department.

Due to the disease,15 per cent of the total apple produce was affected in terms of quality, he says.

But the apple growers claim that it is not only the disease which affected the quality of apple this year. The use of substandard fertilisers and pesticides has also affected the produce.

The pesticides and the fertilisers available in the market are spurious and substandard. There is no mechanism in place which can check the standards and quality of pesticides available in the market, he adds.

According to the officials at the horticulture department,25 per cent of total apple produce this year was of A-grade,while the percentage of B-grade and C-grade apple was 40 per cent and 35 per cent,respectively.

The apple growers,however,claim that only 15 per cent of the total produce this year was of A-grade.

We get very good rates for A-grade apple,but this year,I didnt get even a single box of A-grade apple from my orchard, says Mohd Shamim of south Kashmirs Shopain district,one of the Valleys premier quality apple producing districts.

Shamim,32,who sells almost 1,000 apple boxes of different grades every year,says this season the quality of produce was badly affected by the hot and dry weather which was followed by sudden rainfall.

Nearly six lakh families in Jammu and Kashmir are associated with apple production for their livelihood.

Jamp;K is a horticulture state and lakhs of people derive their livelihood from this sector,but the government doesnt care for the farmers, says Bashir and adds: It only cares about Tourism.