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| Apple industry under threat from spurious pesticides | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, May 26 : The Rs 4,000 crore apple industry in Kashmir is under threat from spurious pesticides in circulation. Fruit growers from Kulgam and Shopian districts in South Kashmir Mondayalleged that almost all pesticides sold in Kashmir are substandard.
The fruit growers alleged that sampling done by the government is of no use as it is done very late and that too after dealers sell the stock to growers. A delegation from South Kashmir's Kulgam district said that an anti-scab pesticide namely 'Noor' that is distributed by 'Al-falah Traders' despite banned by the government is available in the market.
"The batch numbers of Noor DNR 111 upto 117 have been banned, but to our surprise this pesticide is still available in Kulgam and Shopian markets," the fruit growers said adding that government especially the department of agriculture is not serious in curbing this menace.
They further said that 'Al-falah Traders' is using 'Madina traders' and 'Gulshan Traders' to sell their Mumbai based product in South Kashmir. They said that Deputy Commissioner Kulgam had constituted a team to take action against the dealers who indulge in the sale of spurious pesticides. "Unfortunately, the team was headed by Chief Agriculture Officer Kulgam, who to our knowledge is hand in glove with the erring dealer," they said.
"Pesticides or fungicides that are sold in the valley are stored in Jammu. No effort has been being made by the government to check the quality of pesticides and fungicides before it is sold in the market. We have often lost fruits after spraying fake pesticide in our orchards but the government has never taken any step to stop it," Abdul Hamid, a fruit grower said.
'Alfalah Traders' proprietor Muhammad Yousuf Naikoo that he procured the stock only after government sampling and he is following proper government procedure,
When contacted Deputy Commissioner Kulgam Jehangir Ahmed Mir said he had constituted a team of officials from Horticulture, Agriculture and Enforcement wing following the complaints of the fruit growers about the sale of spurious pesticides. "We have intensified our campaign against dealers selling spurious pesticides and have already seized large quantity of contraband pesticides.
We have even sealed various pesticides stores," he said.Chief Agriculture Officer, Kulgam G.M.Rather refuted the charges that he exonerated a particular dealer.
He said that there is Plant Protection Officer in Srinagar who controls everything. "We have already registered cases against the culprits and have sealed various shops," he said. |
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