BILAL HUSSAIN
Srinagar: Consensus seems to be building among the local traders in Kashmir on banning imported food items from other states. Traders and businessmen have jointly called for vetoing brought in items and encourage consumption of apple and other ingdenious food items locally.
The Srinagar-Jammu highway blockade (economic blockade) has affected the fruit industry in the Valley. The blockade has strained the growers, fruit traders, businesspersons and others to consider other viable solutions to sustain the fruit industry of the state.
Experts believe that the fruit industry in the Valley is a business of over Rs 2500 crore annually.
Former President Kashmir Fruit Growers Association, Imtiyaz Ahmad told Greater Kashmir that the blockade has forced traders to think of alternate solutions to this grave problem.
"Locals should consume more apples and other indigenous fruits grown in the Valley. This would ensure the market for the fruits locally and would minimize the dependence of fruit industry outside the state," said Imtiyaz.
Former President Kashmir Valley Apple Growers and Dealers Association, Ghulam Mustafa said, "It is high time to open all possible routes connecting Valley to outside world."
Chairman, Kashmir Traders Federation Jan Muhammad Koul said the Valley imports food items worth over
Rs 3000 annually. "We must focus on native produce and should consume them in bulk," he adds.
Most of the people in the Valley were of the opinion that the public should use apples instead of chips, and soft drinks in the marriages, get-togethers and other functions and parties. Consumption of apples locally apart strengthen local economy would improve public health believe medical doctors. "An apple a day keeps doctor away, which is true and we must do that in our lives," said Manzoor Ahmad, a resident of Budgam.
The apple from valley besides being supplied to all parts of India is also exported to countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, and Srilanka. This year fruit growers in Kashmir were expecting more turnovers but the highway blockade has badly affected them economically. "Fruits have shorter life span. We fear 90 percent of fruit in trucks would be rotten by now amounting to huge losses," said a fruit grower.
In response to the economic blockade an emergency meeting of Valley industrialists under the chairmanship of G M Bhat, President Industrial Entrepreneurs Association, which was held Saturday in the industrial estate Zukara to discuss the effects of the said blockade on the industry and people of Kashmir.
"It was resolved that we would completely boycott the Jammu based products," Bhat adds.
Recently the business community of Kashmir Valley has jointly formed a co-ordination committee, Kashmir Economic Front, to look into the economic aspects of the valley arising out of the economic blockade. Representatives of Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant association, Kashmir traders and manufacturers federation, Houseboat owners association, Kashmir transporters federation, Kashmir flour mills association, and many other have jointly formed the front. On Saturday the front has decided to march towards Muzaffarabad on Monday to export the local produce.
"In view of the shortage of drugs, essential commodities and mounting losses to the business community in general and apple growers in particular, we demand that government should think of alternative arrangements of transportation of goods through Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road," said president KCCI, Dr Mubeen shah.
"The chamber also demands that fruit growers in particular and people associated with trade, commerce and industry in general be compensated by the government on account of losses they have suffered due to blockade of the Jammu-Srinagar highway," he said.
The President, Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir, Shakeel Qalander, has expressed grave concern over the meaningful silence of Jammu Chamber of Commerce and other Jammu based trade and industrial bodies who have been mute spectators to harsh treatment meted out by the hooligans of Jammu on Kashmiri drivers en-route highway.
The Srinagar-Jammu highway blockade (economic blockade) has affected the fruit industry in the Valley. The blockade has strained the growers, fruit traders, businesspersons and others to consider other viable solutions to sustain the fruit industry of the state.
Experts believe that the fruit industry in the Valley is a business of over Rs 2500 crore annually.
Former President Kashmir Fruit Growers Association, Imtiyaz Ahmad told Greater Kashmir that the blockade has forced traders to think of alternate solutions to this grave problem.
"Locals should consume more apples and other indigenous fruits grown in the Valley. This would ensure the market for the fruits locally and would minimize the dependence of fruit industry outside the state," said Imtiyaz.
Former President Kashmir Valley Apple Growers and Dealers Association, Ghulam Mustafa said, "It is high time to open all possible routes connecting Valley to outside world."
Chairman, Kashmir Traders Federation Jan Muhammad Koul said the Valley imports food items worth over
Rs 3000 annually. "We must focus on native produce and should consume them in bulk," he adds.
Most of the people in the Valley were of the opinion that the public should use apples instead of chips, and soft drinks in the marriages, get-togethers and other functions and parties. Consumption of apples locally apart strengthen local economy would improve public health believe medical doctors. "An apple a day keeps doctor away, which is true and we must do that in our lives," said Manzoor Ahmad, a resident of Budgam.
The apple from valley besides being supplied to all parts of India is also exported to countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, and Srilanka. This year fruit growers in Kashmir were expecting more turnovers but the highway blockade has badly affected them economically. "Fruits have shorter life span. We fear 90 percent of fruit in trucks would be rotten by now amounting to huge losses," said a fruit grower.
In response to the economic blockade an emergency meeting of Valley industrialists under the chairmanship of G M Bhat, President Industrial Entrepreneurs Association, which was held Saturday in the industrial estate Zukara to discuss the effects of the said blockade on the industry and people of Kashmir.
"It was resolved that we would completely boycott the Jammu based products," Bhat adds.
Recently the business community of Kashmir Valley has jointly formed a co-ordination committee, Kashmir Economic Front, to look into the economic aspects of the valley arising out of the economic blockade. Representatives of Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant association, Kashmir traders and manufacturers federation, Houseboat owners association, Kashmir transporters federation, Kashmir flour mills association, and many other have jointly formed the front. On Saturday the front has decided to march towards Muzaffarabad on Monday to export the local produce.
"In view of the shortage of drugs, essential commodities and mounting losses to the business community in general and apple growers in particular, we demand that government should think of alternative arrangements of transportation of goods through Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road," said president KCCI, Dr Mubeen shah.
"The chamber also demands that fruit growers in particular and people associated with trade, commerce and industry in general be compensated by the government on account of losses they have suffered due to blockade of the Jammu-Srinagar highway," he said.
The President, Federation Chamber of Industries Kashmir, Shakeel Qalander, has expressed grave concern over the meaningful silence of Jammu Chamber of Commerce and other Jammu based trade and industrial bodies who have been mute spectators to harsh treatment meted out by the hooligans of Jammu on Kashmiri drivers en-route highway.
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