Raina Assures Shopian Apple Growers of Taking Issues to Home Minister

SRINAGAR: BJP National Executive Member and former Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina visited the Fruit Mandi Shopian to meet orchardists, traders, and members of fruit associations. The visit comes at a time when the apple industry in the Valley is reeling under transportation delays, falling market rates, and mounting debt burdens.

Addressing a large gathering of growers, Raina underlined the centrality of the horticulture sector to Kashmir’s economy, calling it the backbone that sustains lakhs of families across the Valley. “I have heard your difficulties very patiently. Apple growers of Kashmir have been consistently facing issues related to transportation of trucks, market saturation, low rates, and huge financial liabilities. I want to assure you that I will personally meet the Union Home Minister in New Delhi and put forth these demands for redressal,” Raina said.

One of the foremost demands voiced by the growers was the waiver of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loans. Several orchardists explained that repeated road closures, crop losses due to untimely rains, and lack of remunerative prices have left them trapped in a cycle of debt. In response, Raina assured them that he would recommend the waiver to the Home Minister and other concerned ministries. “The government has always stood with the farmers of this country. I strongly feel that the waiver of KCC loans will provide immediate relief to the orchardists,” he remarked.

Raina also took note of the persistent transportation bottlenecks faced by fruit traders. He acknowledged that fruit-laden trucks remain stranded for days on the Mughal Road and the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, causing massive financial setbacks as apples are highly perishable. “No grower should suffer because of traffic restrictions. Smooth and timely movement of fruit trucks is essential. This will be taken up seriously with the concerned authorities,” he stated.

Local orchardists welcomed the assurances but urged that words must translate into action. “We appreciate that a senior leader like Ravinder Raina came here and listened to us. But our demand is that decisions should be implemented on the ground. Our fruit is our livelihood, and every day of delay means losses worth crores,” said one trader at the mandi.

Raina also emphasized the government’s broader vision for modernizing horticulture in Kashmir. He spoke about plans for setting up cold storage facilities, improving road connectivity, and developing market linkages with other states to secure better prices for Kashmiri apples. “The central government is committed to strengthening the horticulture sector, and initiatives in infrastructure and marketing are already under active consideration,” he said.

During the visit, Raina was accompanied by the president of the Aglar Fruit Mandi Association, Ashraf Wani, who highlighted the day-to-day challenges faced by growers. Wani pointed out that unless immediate measures are taken to improve transport and provide financial relief, the industry’s survival will remain at risk. [KNT]