Omar Abdullah Promises to Address Fruit Growers Demands in Budget Estimates

Omar Abdullah Image/kashmir life

VoM News Desk | February 14, 2025 | 05:07 PM IST | Breaking News, Jammu Kashmir | Tags: Jammu and Kashmir, Jammu Kashmir news, Omar Abdullah | Follow on Google News

Omar Abdullah Promises to Address Fruit Growers Demands in Budget Estimates

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah held a meeting with a delegation led by Bashir Ahmad Basheer, representing Kashmir’s fruit growers, to discuss key issues faced by the horticulture sector. The delegation submitted a memorandum outlining multiple demands, urging government intervention for the benefit of fruit growers and traders in the region.

The demands included the implementation of a crop insurance scheme for horticulture on the lines of the agricultural sector, the reintroduction of the market intervention scheme for the purchase of lower-grade apples, and the establishment of a dedicated horticulture estate similar to industrial estates. They also called for subsidies and single-window clearance for setting up cold storage, juice plants, and canning factories.

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The delegation sought the exemption or reduction of GST on cardboard boxes, plastic trays, pesticides, and fertilizers, citing rising costs. They urged the government to regulate the prices of pesticides and fertilizers, establish testing laboratories in every district, and provide high-density plant material for orchard rejuvenation.

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Other demands included a special budget provision for dealing with natural calamities, implementation of a previously announced relief scheme for loan defaulters, and exemption of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loans for small-scale fruit growers. The growers also called for government support in developing kiwi, grape, and pomegranate orchards, improving irrigation facilities, and ensuring railway connectivity for cherry transportation to Mumbai.

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The chief minister assured the delegation that their demands would be reviewed favourably in the upcoming budget estimates. Bashir Ahmad Basheer expressed gratitude for the assurance and urged for timely action on the issues raised.

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