Kashmiri apple farmers unhappy with govt scheme

Apple farmers in Jammu and Kashmir are seemingly unhappy with the government's offer to procure produce directly from farmers through NAFED.

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government’s offer to procure apples through the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) seems to be ineffective, as a number of farmers in the valley are unhappy with the scheme.

The announcement came in the wake of terrorists threatening some apple growers not to sell their produce in the market following abrogation of the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories.

Through the scheme, the procurement is made directly from genuine apple growers and the state administration promised direct payment in bank accounts of apple growers through direct benefit transfer (DBT).

All categories of apples i.e. A, B and C are procured from the apple producing districts in Jammu and Kashmir as well as designated mandis (wholesale markets).

However, farmers expressed their disappointment with the scheme, as they said they fail to receive a proper price for their produce.

"NAFED is paying the same price by adding our grade A apples to the B-grade category. This is harming us. We cannot take our produce back, so we are selling it at the reduced price," a farmer from Budgam district told ETV Bharat.

Farmers from Srinagar, Ganderbal, and Budgam, districts which are known for apples, have not shown much interest in the scheme since it came into force on September 17.

According to data, so far, only 1,566 apple crates have been sold in the three districts, out of which only 979 crates have been exported.

However, the administration claims that the scheme is beneficial to the farmers. Ghulam Mohammad Dar, the HMPC Director said that the department was periodically revising the prices.

He said that whenever there is a price fluctuation in the market, the scheme's prices are also changed.

"The scheme is ultimately for the benefit for the farmers and ensure that they do not sell in distress," he said.