Government allows transportation of high-density plants in Valley to avoid losses

Government allows transportation of high-density plants in Valley to avoid losses

Shopian: The government has decided to allow transportation of plant and root stock meant for high-density plantation of apples to avoid economic losses to growers. But growers have to follow strict guidelines set by the authorities to stop spread of Covid-19.

Director Horticulture Kashmir, Ajaz Ahmad Bhat told Kashmir Reader that growers and private agencies have to take passes from district administration in order to maintain the effective lockdown which has been imposed for the safety of people.

The passes will be issued by Deputy Commissioners after verification, officials said.

The move, according to a top official in horticulture department Kashmir, has been taken in view of current plantation season in Kashmir. “Delay in plantation would result in damage to plants and root stock and thus heavy economic losses,” he added.

According to official estimates, around six lakh apple plants including root stock has to be transported to district-based nurseries for distribution among growers in Kashmir.

According to officials, the government has to transport more than two lakh plants from Shopian’s Zanipora farm to district-based nurseries.

Earlier, around five truckloads of apple were dispatched from Lasipora cold storages to mandis based in Delhi and Tamil Nadu.

For year 2020, the government has received registration for high-density apple plantation on about 3,000 kanals of horticultural land in Kashmir.

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