Apple Farmers Rally to Meet with LG, Advocate for the Resumption of Apple MIS Scheme and 100% Import Duty on Apples

In Srinagar on September 13th, a delegation from the Apple Farmers’ Federation convened a meeting with LG Manoj Sinha, presenting a comprehensive list of demands. The delegation, led by Zahoor Ahmad Rather, President, and Abdul Rashid Itoo, Secretary, engaged in discussions at Raj Bhawan, Srinagar, and submitted a memorandum outlining their concerns.

Among the key requests articulated in the memorandum by the Apple Farmers’ Federation of India (AFFI) Jammu and Kashmir were:

1. Restart of the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS): The federation urged the Union government to reinstate the Market Intervention Scheme, which had played a pivotal role in procuring lower-quality C-grade apples in the Valley since 2017. They emphasized that discontinuing the scheme for the current marketing season had raised significant concerns among growers. The absence of this avenue for selling C-grade apples has resulted in the disposal of such fruit on highways and rivers. This has compounded the loss of fruit quality and quantity, primarily due to unpredictable weather conditions. It has led to a substantial reduction in the overall apple yield, raising concerns about the market saturation with C-grade apples.
2. Involvement in Value-Addition Activities: The federation suggested that the Jammu and Kashmir Administration, through J&K HPMC, should engage growers in value-addition endeavors such as processing culled fruit into apple juice, jams, pickles, bread, and other products, following the example set by Himachal Pradesh.
3. Immediate Implementation of Crop Insurance Scheme (CIS): The farmers’ federation called for the swift implementation of the Crop Insurance Scheme, responding to the long-standing demand from agricultural stakeholders.
4. Weather Station Inquiry: The federation sought an investigation into the failure of the J&K Horticulture Department to establish sufficient weather stations capable of tracking the spread of scab disease across different regions.
5. Tariff Adjustments and Freight Regulation: To safeguard the interests of domestic apple growers, the AFFI demanded a reversal of the reduction in import tariffs on Washington apples and advocated for the imposition of a 100% import duty. Additionally, they called for the regulation of freight charges, aligning them with the model practiced in Himachal Pradesh.

LG Manoj Sinha attentively listened to the delegation’s concerns during the meeting, assuring them that the issues raised by apple growers would receive due consideration. The Apple Federation anticipates favorable responses to their demands, aiming to address the challenges currently facing apple farmers in the region.