Jammu Kashmir
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| | Rain deficiency to hit horticulture hard | | | SRINAGAR, August 3: Fruit production across Kashmir Valley is likely to get hit in big way due to continuous rain deficiency and lack of irrigation facilities.
Officials at meteorological department here say Kashmir valley is facing rain deficiency more than Jammu region.
They say this season the Valley is facing 30 percent rain deficiency.
“Over 10 percent damage has already been caused due to the deficient rainfall to our crops,” said Bashir Ahmad President Fruit Growers Association.
"The dry weather is adversely affecting the fruit production,” Ahmad said.
Five crore apple boxes are exported from Kashmir to international and domestic fruit market annually.
Kashmir’s apple and pear varieties are considered as best in the world. It is these varieties which are likely to suffer due to lack of rains.
Fruit growers say dry weather is affecting size and color of fruit and it would adversely impact its’ market later this year.
“It is because of the excessive rains during spring that fruit crop is surviving present dry conditions. If these conditions persist we will suffer huge damage.”
Ahmad said that the dearth of irrigation facilities in the orchids have added to problems.
“Most of our orchards are located in border area which does not have proper irrigation facilities. So crop depends on rain alone.”
However, officials at the horticulture department say no damage has been recorded to the fruit crop so far.
They concede deficiency of calcium in the soil is posing a problem but insist that they are tackling it.
“Till now things are going good. But in case we do not receive rainfall by August 10, we can suffer fruit crop damage,” said Manzoor Ahmad, pomology expert in the horticulture department.
He said the department is presently trying to tackle the problem of calcium deficiency in the soil.
“We are creating awareness among cultivators to spray or apply calcium chloride to the crop. We are working our best in that regard.”
At present the fruit production in the valley is around 15 to 17 lakh metric tons annually. If provided irrigation facilities it can go up to 25-30 lakh MT every year. |
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