Abdullah urge Central Government to come to rescue of Horticulture sector of Kashmir

 Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Dr. Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday urged central government to come forward to the rescue of Kashmir Horticulture sector  which suffered tremendous damage due to the recent unseasonal snowfall.

Abdullah who is also the member parliament (MP), urged central government to announce the relief for the orchardists under the relevant specific policies.

He was speaking to orchardists during his brief stopover at Shopian district in south Kashmir after his return from Jammu via Mughal road.

The fruit growers apprised Abdullah about the damage caused to the orchards due to recent unseasonal snowfall and the hardships they are facing.

Abdullah asserted that the issues concerning the Fruit growers are immense and need the timely intervention of the central government.

He said, despite the last three decades of uncertainty, the Horticulture Industry in Jammu and Kashmir which is considered as the backbone of the region’s economy, was flourishing

Over the past few years the fruit industry in Kashmir has faced severe economic crisis owing to multiple reasons ranging from weather vagaries and the lockdown following August 05 2019 decisions, he said.

The situation, he further stated was deteriorated by the spread of scab in orchards due to the spray of fake and substandard pesticides and fungicides, which proved to be the last straw that broke the back of the fruit industry in Kashmir.

He alleged that the wrong advice given to the farmers by the concerned government departments about the spray of anti-scab spray, he added.

UNI QAB