Government of Jammu & Kashmir has proposed to increase the price of apples under the Market Intervention Scheme or MIS for apple growers in the state.
National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), the nodal agency for procuring apples, has set Rs 54, Rs 38 & Rs 15.75 for apples of A, B and C grade, respectively.
The Jammu and Kashmir Department of Horticulture Marketing & Planning (J&KDHMP) assists NAFED in registering as well as grading of apples at 4 procurement centres in Kashmir.
The scheme was announced by the state government on 12th August considering the lockdown & communication blockade in the Valley. So far, more than 3,000 farmers have registered themselves with NAFED and J&KDHMP.
In order to encourage more cultivators in joining the scheme the government has proposed to increase the prices for apples, according to official sources.
A senior government officer said, "We are recommending a hike in the prices of apples that we hope will persuade more farmers to come forward". The official said he was confident that apples of C grade will fetch close to Rs 20 after the prices are revised. He said, "That must lure more farmers to come forward with their produce”.
It is must be noted that apples are grown on 3.87 lakh hectares in Kashmir and it brings Rs 8,000 crore annually & supports 7 lakh families there. In addition, Kashmir contributes 75% of the apples produced in the country.
Experts say that the turnover can be much higher if cold storages and processing plants are set up in Kashmir.
In the past few years, rice cultivators in Kashmir have also shifted to apple farming because the fruit generates better returns and is less labour intensive.
