The Kashmir Pulse

PULWAMA — The fruit growers and traders in Kashmir who had kept their produce in cold storage units said they are facing huge losses as rates have plummeted to an all-time low.

Speaking to the news agency KNO, the growers and traders said they have been facing huge losses as rates have been going down with each passing day. They said currently apple boxes are being sold at Rs 300-400 per box while the rates of C-grade apples in the main season were more than that.

Mudasir Ahmad, a fruit trader, said that he had purchased around 10 thousand apple crates at around Rs 1000-1500 per crate and kept them in cold storage units in Lassipora Pulwama. He said currently his apple crates are fetching just around Rs 300-400 only due to which he faces a loss of Rs 1000-1200 per crate which is around one crore rupees of loss.

"I have been doing fruit business for the last 10 years but have earned just a few lakhs in the last 10 years as I have been facing a loss in crores which has left me and my family in depression," Mudasir said, adding that same is the case of other fruit traders who have purchased and kept their produce in CA stores.

Traders said they stopped packing their produce for some time but are aware that they can't keep it there for a long time. "Six to seven months have already passed since we kept it there," they said.

"Even the C-grade apples fetched more returns in the main season and this is an all-time low rate of produce kept in cold storage units," they said. "This is because apples in bulk quantity have been reaching Indian markets from different countries, thereby denting local apples."

Meanwhile, cold unit holders sought the government's intervention under these conditions. "Otherwise, this may have a negative impact on cold storage units," they said.

Anjum Abrar, a manager of one such unit, said there is a positive impact of cold storage units that they maintain the supply and demand chain, which benefits growers by ensuring favourable returns. "If the produce kept in cold storage units won't fetch good returns, then how will people prefer to keep their produce in CA stores?" he asked.

"The government must intervene in stopping the import of apples so that Kashmiri growers and traders fetch good returns," Abrar said.

He said that the cold storage units have been employing thousands of people. "Neglecting this sector would impact the livelihoods of thousands of workers," he said.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse

PULWAMA — Despite paying the lease amount and rent since August last year, district administration Pulwama has not given possession of land to the unitholders who want to set up their units at Industrial Growth Centre Lassipora.

At least eight unitholders have taken 15 kanals land each on lease and for which every unitholder has paid Rs 4.50 lakh per kanal, according to the report of news agency KNT.

“Besides the lease amount, we have been paying rent since August last year and despite fulfilling all the formalities, no possession of land has been given to us,” one of the unitholders from south Kashmir’s Pulwama district said.

The unitholders said that the leased land which they are supposed to obtain from the district administration Pulwama is still under the ‘illegal’ occupation. “Even Assistant Commissioner Revenue along with other officers visited the spot and assured us of possession of land, but till date, we haven’t got the possession,” they said, adding that not only they have paid the hefty sums but also pay the rent for the land which is still not under their possession.

Pertinently, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has started a drive to evict people in possession of alleged ‘state-land’.

When contacted, a top official from the administration said that all formalities have been completed and encroachers will be evicted from the state land. He said land will be handed over to leaseholders.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse