SRINAGAR: Covid-19 lockdown in J&K has hit plantation trees market with sales drastically declining which according to sellers has hit their earnings during the peak season.
“During the first ten days in the month March, the people were buying trees especially apple trees. After the government announced lockdown for the prevention of Covid-19, no one is buying trees,” sellers said.
Most of the people from south Kashmir’s Kulgam district are involved in plantation business. During the first week in month of March, they said, they visited other districts of the valley to sell their trees.
The plantation season starts from March up to the month of April, but due to lockdown, this business has been hit.
One of the plantation seller from Kulgam told Kashmir Reader that due to the closure of markets and suspension of traffic, no is buying trees.
“If no one buys tress form us, they will expire and we will face huge losses,” he said.
Basheer Ahmad Basheer, President of the Parimpora Fruit Mandi Association said that due to unprecedented snowfall last year, most of the apple trees were damaged.
“Sales of trees could have surged in this season, but lockdown has hit the market,” he said.
Director Horticulture department, Ajaz Ahmad Bhat said that the plantation drive have been completed by the department.
“We have requested the government to declare pesticides and fertilizers as essential commodities,” he said.

ARIF RASHID