Srinagar, April 11 (KNS): Senior Vice President Peoples Conference and former Minister Abdul Gani Vakil expressed concern over the sluggish development of Horticulture sector in Kashmir and said that government has till date failed to launch a result-oriented program for the development of the Fruit Industry.
The important sector “has become a victim of government negligence as well as the covid 19 lockdown as half of the production of near about 18000 MT got rotten due to lack of marketing and other allied facilities last year.
“As much as 50 per cent production has gone to dustbins because no benchmarks were kept to establish cold storages or juice factories equipped with latest technology,” Vakil said.
As per the statement issued to Kashmir News Service- (KNS), Abdul Gani Vakil was addressing today workers meetings in Waripora , Duligund and Chijhama in Rafiabad.
He said the fruit industry is the mainstay of Kashmiris economy which also provides livelihood to lakhs of people directly and indirectly but still Govt is not concerned about it.
Vakil alleged that the Government although assured fruit growers special package, adequate compensation of losses of fruit orchards last year and this year but it is surprising and unfortunate that it has failed to fullfill its promises and thereby added to the mesiries of fruit growers and traders.
Vakil urged Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to establish cold storage and juice factory equipped with latest technology in Sopore fruit mandi, old demand of fruit growers and to take the important issue of huge losses to fruit growers last year and this year too with the central Government with the strong recommendations of sanctioning of special economic package including waiving of KCC loan.
"Natural calamities last year and COVID- 19 this year across the Valley caused massive damage to the fruit industry," he said.
Besides others who addressed the meetings include senior leaders the block Bashir Ahmed Sumji, Sheikh Ghulam Nabi, Abdul Salam and Abdul Rashid Lone. (KNS)