Kashmir Apple Trade Hit by Perfect Storm— Black Plague, Low Production, Bad Market, Lockdown
According to official figures, Kashmir produces around 20 lakh metric tons of apples generating 8000-9000 crore Indian Rupees every year. But this year, the apple industry, which provides support to almost 70 percent of people including growers, transporters, fertilizer dealers, packagers, commission agents, laborers and others here have been overshadowed by low production, fungal diseases, shut down and low market. As the harvest season has already set in this year, apple growers say that the production is almost 60 percent lower than the previous year’s production, out of which 30 percent of the crop is hit by a black plague, a fungal disease with almost no prospects of exporting it. The reason for low production and fungal diseases, growers say, is spurious fungicides and untimely heavy snow fall in November last year in Kashmir which also caused large scale damage to apple trees.
The trade was hit last year also due to months-long shut down after the Government of India abrogated special status to Kashmir in August, 2019. The trade was suspended last year for months together during the peak season due to government imposed shut down and internet ban in Kashmir and closure of fruit mandis (markets) after the militants issued threats to growers during which various truck drivers from outside Kashmir were killed by them. The hopes of growers to compensate last year’s losses are dim this year due to COVID-19 lock down also. Even the lockdown has been eased in India, but the months-long complete shutdown has already shattered the country’s economy with growers not expecting good returns from whatever produce they have this year.
Our multimedia story will try to cover all these aspects of the trade and bring out the concerns of the growers and other stakeholders.
Characters and Interviews:
Our story with contain visuals of black plague, fruit plucking, packaging, transporting and marketing and will cover interviews of growers who will speak about their concerns of low production and low market, horticulture expert who will speak about the causes of black plague and low production, market expert or commission agents who will talk about the position of market.
The trade was hit last year also due to months-long shut down after the Government of India abrogated special status to Kashmir in August, 2019. The trade was suspended last year for months together during the peak season due to government imposed shut down and internet ban in Kashmir and closure of fruit mandis (markets) after the militants issued threats to growers during which various truck drivers from outside Kashmir were killed by them. The hopes of growers to compensate last year’s losses are dim this year due to COVID-19 lock down also. Even the lockdown has been eased in India, but the months-long complete shutdown has already shattered the country’s economy with growers not expecting good returns from whatever produce they have this year.
Our multimedia story will try to cover all these aspects of the trade and bring out the concerns of the growers and other stakeholders.
Characters and Interviews:
Our story with contain visuals of black plague, fruit plucking, packaging, transporting and marketing and will cover interviews of growers who will speak about their concerns of low production and low market, horticulture expert who will speak about the causes of black plague and low production, market expert or commission agents who will talk about the position of market.
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