Kashmir’s famed orchards have seen a dramatic change as the region prepares to embrace modern fruit grading and packing technology, heralding a new dawn for the local growers.
A significant shift has begun that will benefit this region from the very heart of the orchards in Shopian to the marketplaces in India.
Generations of growers have been left in the lurch as compared to their counterparts in the country due to a lack of grading facilities in the Valley.
Apples used to be sold in a mixed consignment, with the best and the worst produce clubbed together, fetching low prices.
However, now the situation is set to change with the ‘grading lines’, which have been installed in the Kashmiri hills with the help of the government.
These machines sort the fruit according to size, colour and grade.
Experts say the change would make a telling difference to the growers as the new packing and sorting technology promises to sort and pack the produce in a manner not witnessed before.
These grading lines ensure that only the best quality apples are sent out to the market as the produce is sorted and sifted with care and precision.
Growers say the best quality of fruit is reaching the markets in a shorter time than before, resulting in lesser wastage.
This has had an impact on the much-needed revenue for the growers who had been struggling with time-consuming traditional methods of packing and sorting the fruits.
This new technology has also helped create jobs and business opportunities in the region promoting horticulture.
The new system has ensured a competitive edge for the Kashmiri apples in the market as an improved image of the produce is being created.
A new lease of life has come to the growers with the change as the orchards are being reaped with better benefits than ever before.
It will be interesting to see how this change impacts the growers in the years to come as they embrace this revolutionary change in the traditional agricultural setup.
