Farmers sceptical amid J&K govt’s push for new apple varieties

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, April 19

Amid the Jammu and Kashmir administration’s efforts to increase apple production by planting high-density varieties, producers and sellers are sceptical as they fear that it may ruin the traditional varieties without bringing the desired results.

Around three years ago, the government had introduced high-density tree plantation of apple varieties after farmers suffered losses due to unseasonal rainfall, scab disease and other reasons. Such varieties take less time to ripe than the traditional ones, but their shelf life is short, say farmers. Still several farmers have taken up such varieties as the government provides 50% subsidy.

Mir Mohammad Amin, president, Fruit Growers’ Association, Shopian, says the high-density varieties are delicate with short shelf life. “We are losing traditional orchards. Though such trees bear fruit within two years of plantation, we doubt their long term performance,” he says.

Nearly 166 trees of high-density apple varieties can be grown on one kanal of land. “Almost 500-kg apple can be produced on one kanal of orchard in high density plantation. As farmers sometimes are unable to handle large orchards, high density plantation has come to their rescue,” says District Horticulture Officer Shafqat Hussain Khan.

For the first time this year, such plantation has been taken up in Thanamandi of Rajouri district. Deputy Commissioner Vikas Kundal visited the plantation site and asked the authorities concerned to provide support to farmers.

There are high-density varieties which hit the market by July, bringing relief to farmers who face competition from other states and even Iran. Iranian apple costs low and has threatened the Kashmir varieties in the recent past.

Fayaz Malik, president of Sopore Fruit Mandi, said the government had introduced Bulgarian varieties in Kashmir in 1980s, but the move failed miserably. “While the traditional apple tree gives fruit even after 30-35 years, the high density varieties won’t last longer than 6-7 years,” Malik said, adding that Ambri apple would sink into oblivion if farmers shift to high-density varieties.