There is a quiet story in the orchards this season of Kashmir, a story of resilience, recovery and sweet redemption.
Following a year of losses and disappointments in the last season, they are currently enjoying better prices as the demand in the market for the fruit has increased.
According to growers, Kashmir’s apples have a good demand in the market this year.
The fruits have found favour with all the important markets in the country and the quality of the produce is of a very high standard.
Growers are currently enjoying a better price for their produce which will help them recover some of the losses that were recorded last season.
Apples have been Kashmir’s ‘livelihood crop’ and thousands of growers take great care of their orchards, enduring the hardships of nature as well as man to get a fair price for their produce.
Last year growers faced ‘disaster’ as the price of their produce crashed.
This season growers have seen the recovery of prices for their fruits and also the marketability of the fruit.
This is a great relief to growers who will now be able to get a better price for their produce.
It is only right that these people are given the recognition and rewards for a superior produce of the region.
Kashmiri apples have always commanded a good market price.
This year’s bumper harvest, coupled with the efforts of the government and officials to facilitate the orchard owners, has helped achieve this feat.
This is also a lesson to us that if there is quality produce of a certain kind in the market, the price will reflect that.
We feel that the government should continue to take steps to ensure that proper cold chain facilities are in place so that the UT’s produce fetches a healthy price in the market.
