Kashmiri American apple, grown mostly in parts of north Kashmir, is the only apple variety in the valley that is imported to the international market Bangladesh where the crop fetches good prices.
President, Sopore Fruit Mandi Fayaz Ahmad Malik said the imposition of export duty by the Bangladesh government from time to time is a big huddle in large exports to the country. Bangladesh is the biggest export market for Kashmiri apples.
“After the repeated imposition of tax, now it has reached to Rs 94/kg of apple as export duty. In total for one loaded truck of apples it makes it some Rs 20 to 22 lakh. The same amount would have benefitted the growers had it not been imposed,” he said.
Malik said on a daily basis some 10-15 apple laden trucks leave for Bangladesh from Sopore Fruit Mandi, the Asia’s second-largest Fruit Mandi in Kashmir which is abuzz with buyers these days.
Over the past two months some 400-500 apple laden trucks of American variety have been transported to Bangladesh from the Sopore fruit Mandi which is an increase over the past year.
Kashmir apple—both Delicious and American variety—are also transported to Nepal. He said over these months some 200-300 trucks have been exported to Nepal from Sopore mandi.
“Making way to the international market is encouraging for the farmers. This can create more and more opportunities for the apple growers,” he said.
Malik said this year there was decline in apple crop in Kashmir as well as in Shimla. He said this year there has been a decrease in the number of trucks that used to be exported to outside the valley from Sopore fruit mandi. These days several traders from Bangladesh are seen in the valley to buy apples to meet the demand in their homeland. “Last year, the crop production was 90 percent and this year it is 50 to 60 percent. There is a gap of 30 percent owing to the rains in Shimla,” he said.
Interestingly, he said last year, the Sopore Mandi would export 150 trucks of fruits in a day during this season which have now declined to 80 or 90 trucks a day this season.
Chairman of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union/President, Parimpora Fruit Mandi, Bashir Ahmad Basheer, said the torrential rains affected the fruit crop and it caused scab at many places. “This year there is a decrease in production. Those farmers who have good quality fruit will get good prices,” he said. On the other hand, he said the delicious apple variety also faced size issues this year. Bashir said this year many States in India like Himachal Pradesh would have less production.
Annually Kashmir produces over 20 lakh mt of apple and in some years touches 25 lakh mt. The 2017 Economic Survey in J&K had said that half of Kashmir’s population is directly or indirectly dependent on the apple industry and over 3.5 lakh hectares are under apple cultivation.
