By: Aabid Hameed
Srinagar: Apple growers from Kashmir division are very delighted as the High Density apple varieties are being sold at double rates as compared to the traditional apple varieties in Kashmir.
Growers from different areas of Kashmir told Precious Kashmir that the high density apple varieties like King Roat and Jeromine are being sold at the cost of over Rs 1000 per box, which is double as compared to the rates of traditional varieties of Kashmir like Delicious and Kulu.
Mushtaq Ahmad, a grower from Pulwama said that just before a year, he planted a high density apple variety on around seven kanals of land for which he has spent around Rs seven lakhs.
However, he said in the very first year, he sold apples at the cost of Rs 3.5 lacs and in the next year, there will be double yield on these high density plants.
He added that on the same land, there were delicious apple trees for several years but he claimed that he wasn’t even earning what he was spending on it per year.
Ahmad said that compared to a decade-long wait for the traditional delicious apple trees, these high density plants are giving fruits just a few months after planting.
Mohammad Yousuf, another grower from Shopian said that he sold 10 kilogram apple box of Jeromine at Rs 1,100 at the doorstep without any transportation charge or other thing.
He said that he and other growers have fetched more than double the rate as compared to what they were getting on traditional varieties.
Experts believe that the apple growers must grow new varieties so that they can sell their produce at different intervals.
They said that high density apple plants are smaller in size as compared to traditional apple trees and sprays reach to every portion of the tree.
An official of the horticulture department said that the different high density varieties are being planted in Kashmir and so far, new varieties have got positive response from every corner.
He said that new varieties have been planted on over 8,000 kanals of land and every year more and more high density plants are being planted mostly by replacing traditional trees.
