Jammu: In the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly, PDP Legislative Party leader and MLA Pulwama, Waheed ur Rehman Parra, on Tuesday called for an urgent all-party meeting to formulate a collective strategy to address the deepening crisis in Kashmir’s apple industry. He cautioned that nearly seven million people directly and indirectly dependent on the sector could face severe economic distress if immediate measures are not taken.
Describing horticulture particularly apples as the backbone of Jammu & Kashmir’s economy, Parra expressed serious concern over the potential impact of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with countries such as the United States, New Zealand, and several European nations. He warned that unchecked imports and tariff relaxations could undermine local growers, depress market prices, and expose domestic producers to unfair competition. He urged the government to introduce timely safeguards, including calibrated import policies and market protection mechanisms.
Parra proposed that the all-party meeting culminate in a united delegation reaching out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek urgent intervention and a comprehensive protection package for the horticulture sector, including price stabilisation measures and enhanced procurement support.
While acknowledging the government’s pre- and post-harvest initiatives under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP), Parra highlighted significant structural gaps. Of the nearly 30 lakh kanals of orchard land in Jammu & Kashmir, only about 30,000 kanals are currently under high-density cultivation. He demanded interest-free loans under HADP to facilitate large-scale transition to high-density orchards, arguing that accessible zero-interest credit would empower farmers more effectively than subsidy-driven schemes alone.
He also stressed the urgent need to expand cold storage and Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage infrastructure to prevent distress sales and ensure better price realisation for growers during peak harvest seasons. Strengthening value-chain linkages, grading facilities, and direct market access, he added, would reduce dependence on middlemen and improve farmer incomes.
Raising another key issue, Parra urged the government to revisit the proposed dry port project signed during the tenure of former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in the presence of the Prime Minister in Dubai, and reassess its feasibility and strategic value in the current economic context.
To tackle irrigation constraints, he proposed comprehensive mapping and desilting of canals under MGNREGA, along with allowing borewells for orchard irrigation through Constituency Development Funds (CDF), thereby enhancing productivity and climate resilience.
Parra reiterated that a united political voice within the J&K Assembly is crucial to safeguarding the apple economy, strengthening farmer confidence, and protecting the livelihoods of millions linked to the horticulture sector.
