Cherry Loss

Ashfaq Wani
On the outskirts of Srinagar city at Harwan area, you will be mouth-watering to spot the unending cherry orchids with fruits hanging all around the trees. Scores of people in these orchids are now busy in plucking the first produce of this summer, though no one looks so charming. The ongoing pandemic Covid19 shattered their hopes of receiving the desired prices.

“We just pluck the fruits since they are hanging on trees. But there is no market value of cherry this summer since all fruit mandis and markets are closed,” says Bashir Ahmad, an orchardist.

“Had the situation been normal you would have seen a beeline of contractors seeking the produce against standard rates. But this summer amid COVID lockdown, no one is here to take this produce from us,” he adds.

Bashir Ahmad is not hopeful if he can compensate the money from the produce that he invested initially for the pesticides and labours.

Since Cherry is the first produce of summers in Kashmir, the orchardists are apprehensive of incurring huge losses owing to prevailing lockdown in India over the spread of coronavirus.

More than fifty per cent of cherry produce from the valley is exported to other parts of India while the remaining is consumed locally.

This year, however, neither the local markets are open nor the fruit is exported outside the UT.

 Cherry is a highly perishable fruit that has a limited shelf life and normally Horticulture department would arrange air-conditioned vehicles and Air cargo for its export to the rest of the country especially Mumbai.

“Given to its perishable nature, the transportation of fruit to high-end market was always a challenge,” says Fayaz Ahmad, a retired professor at SKAUST (K). “But a few years back the matter was resolved after Jammu Kashmir government launched the air cargo service and the fruit was sold on profitable cost in Mumbai for the larger benefit of farmers.”

Chief Horticulture Officer Manzoor Ahmad, however, says that recently Air cargo, transport, and train services have been resumed for the transportation of fruit to other cities of India.

“The crisis, Manzoor Ahmad says, has been resolved. Recently, all three means of transport, air, train, and road have been resumed to ensure the crop is reaching the market on time. “The mandis are also open and our concerned people are working out to ensure the fruit reaches local mandis as well without any hindrances.”

Of the 13000 metric tonnes of annual production, Manzoor Ahmad says that only 4000 metric tonnes are exported outside the valley.

“We have a strong market potential locally for the crop and around 5000 metric tonnes are sold in an open market of Kashmir. 4000 metric tonnes are consumed by the local food industry after its preservation,’ he reveals. “The remaining 4000 metric tonnes are sold outside the valley.”

Ironically, all the local industrial units purchasing the double grade cherry are shut now due to COVID19. The farmers are urging authorities to look for an alternative so that the crop is preserved and sold out without losses.

“When the local industrial food procession units are shut, what can you do with the produce. The government must look for an alternative so the losses are evaded,” says Mohammad Ramzan, a fruit grower.

Meanwhile, the official sources said that the proposal has been sought by the higher authorities to frame out the road map for securing the crop form losses.

“We are hopeful of seeing government offering subsidy on freight charges. Because we are not sure how well the fruit is sold in the outside market amid ongoing lockdown. So we don’t want farmers to be on the receiving end,” a senior official in the horticulture department told The Legitimate wishing anonymity.

In Kashmir valley, as many as 20,000 families are directly associated with the cherry industry and the annual worth is over Rs 130 crores.

The fruit is cultivated over 2750 hectares of land. The vast swaths of orchids could be spotted in Srinagar outskirts, Shopian, Pulwama, and some parts of Baramulla and Kupwara in north Kashmir.

The farmers urged the government to ensure the supply is not disrupted while being transported to the markets.

“When the fruits from other parts of the country can reach Kashmir and sold openly why can’t same measures be taken for our produce to reach out to other parts of the country,” says Mehraj-u-din.

“If the fruit cannot be taken outside but at least local vendors shall be allowed to sell it. It is also an essential commodity and affects us economically,” he adds.

The officials, meanwhile are expecting a bumper crop season this year despite unfriendly weather conditions since the hybrid plantation is already introduced.

“At many places, the hybrid plants are introduced that ensure maximum production. So it is possible to see the cherry production may increase every year,” says an official at Horticulture Department.

With the economic activities across the country at grinding halt, recently the Kashmir based industrialists have sought the immediate intervention of Union government to bail out the crippling industrial sector.

“Forget about other sectors, you can see our cherry produce is not marketed this time. Our businesses are crippling under prevailing lockdown,” says Sheikh Ashiq, president of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and industries.

“At least the cherry produce must be exported to other parts of the country so that they can bear losses,” he said.

The horticulture is the backbone of the Kashmir economy and over 60 per cent of people are directly or indirectly associated with the industry. The locals fear if the immediate action for the industry is not taken up by the government, the economy of Kashmir will suffer beyond repair.

Meanwhile, in an official statement, the Jammu Kashmir administration on Tuesday stated that it has already begun the process for the exporting of fruit form Kashmir. Ajaz Ahmad Bhat, Director Horticulture said that various initiatives have been taken to ensure the fruit is being exported on time to avoid it from perishing.

“The food processing units have also been opened which consume the double grade cherry”. said the official.