In Indo-US trade deal only losses for J&K: CM Omar

Srinagar, Feb 14: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, on Saturday, expressed serious concerns over the Indo-US trade deal, saying that while its benefits for the rest of the country remain unclear to him, for Jammu and Kashmir, ìas of now, we can only see losses.î

Speaking to reporters after inaugurating the annual agritech festival ëGONGULí at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K), CM Omar said the items likely to enter duty-free under the agreement were the very products that form the backbone of J&Kís horticulture economy.

ìThe items that will be allowed to enter here duty-free are all that J&K produces ó almonds, walnuts, apples, fresh fruit, and dry fruit. You are saying there will be no impact, that fruits from J&K will not be sold for less than Rs 70 a kilo. But what does it mean when you say they will sell their good fruit and we will sell our bad ones?î he said.

The CM said fruit growers in J&K had made substantial investments in recent years to improve the quality and competitiveness of their produce.

ìNew varieties and high-quality produce have come up. We have been able to take fruit to markets at the right time through Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage facilities. Now, if you are saying that good things will come from outside and less valued items should be sold from here, that is a huge joke with our growers. We want our best and high-value products to be sold. So, I can only see losses because of this deal and no benefit,î he said.

CM Omar said the government was working with agriculture universities in J&K to promote technology-driven and organic solutions aimed at strengthening the rural economy.

ìLakhs of people are visiting this festival to benefit from new technologies and innovations. That is what we want. If we have to compete with countries like the United States ó which seems to be the case after the trade deal, as their agricultural produce will enter our markets – we will have to improve our productivity and quality. This festival plays an important role in that direction,î he said.

On foreign policy matters, the CM expressed hope that the new government in Bangladesh would work towards improving ties with India.

ìThe more stable our neighbouring countries are, the more it benefits us. No one wants wars or instability ó be it Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, or any other country,î he said.

CM Omar said that India wants democracy, stability, and prosperity in Bangladesh and hopes that relations between the two countries improve following the formation of the new government.

ìWe hope that after their government formation, both countries will improve their relations, which had otherwise witnessed some bitterness,î he said.