This year has not brought good for the farmers of Kashmir, especially this year is going to prove bad for the apple farmers. First Season The increase in the cost of production due to the impact of Corona and now the high prices of petrol and diesel has increased the problems of the farmers. In the month of May, apple orchards suffered 75-90 percent damage due to heavy hailstorm in many areas of North, South and Central Kashmir. There has been considerable damage to apple orchards in Baramulla, Kulgam, Shopian and Anantnag districts.
In fact, the increase in the prices of petrol and diesel due to the Iran war has increased the problems of the farmers. Paddy cultivation is to start in the next few days in Kashmir, but the medicinal season has already started in apple orchards. Everywhere people are seen working with small tractors running on diesel and sprayers running on petrol.
Increase in prices of petrol and diesel reduced farmers’ profits
Apart from this, high prices of petrol and diesel have reduced the profits of farmers. According to farmer Abdul Hameed of Saheb, Anantnag, ‘Diesel-petrol is used for every work, even diesel is sprayed to protect trees from diseases.
Farmer Abdul Hameed has also said that “Horticulture is already in trouble for the last several years. The rates are getting low. On one hand the prices of medicines are high and on the other hand the prices of diesel are now high. The government should withdraw this change.” The farmer also said that “For the new hybrid variety of apple orchards, the expenses have increased further…because there is a lot of use of drip irrigation and water pumps in them, the expenses of which have increased.”
Additional load increased due to increase in diesel prices
According to Sahil, a young and small farmer, where his orchard used to cost Rs 20,000 worth of diesel in a year, now it will cost him Rs 30,000 because everything in his orchard is mechanized. The farmer told that the apples are not fully ripe yet and the farmers are worried about the crop being ready and not getting good prices in the market. The farmer said that if the expenses increase and the prices remain the same then he will be called a farmer.
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