First, it was the political turmoil of 2019. Then, the pandemic of 2020. Just when Shakoor Ahmad Reshi thought his troubles were over, a n...
First, it was the political turmoil of 2019. Then, the pandemic of 2020.
Just when Shakoor Ahmad Reshi thought his troubles were over, a new threat surfaced: Iranian apples.
Reshi grows apples on three and a half acres of his orchards in Kashmir’s Shopian district. He is part of an industry which accounts for three-quarters of the total apple production in India and supports the livelihood of 33 lakh people in Jammu and Kashmir.
This industry is now dealing with anxieties over illegally imported Iranian apples flooding the Indian market.
“Iranian apples are being imported first in Afghanistan and then these apples are being re-branded as Afghanistan-produced apples,” claimed Bashir Ahmad Basheer, chairman of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers-cum-Dealers Union, which represents all fruit traders’ associations in the region. He said trading agents and customers in Delhi’s Azadpur fruit mandi alerted them to the imports. “When a different type of apple consignment reaches the mandi, it is easily discernible to the people there,” he explained.
The colour and texture of the Iranian apple closely resembles the Kashmiri apple, which is famous for its juiciness and distinct flavour. Kashmiri horticulturists are worried about losing market share to the imported apple this year – because it is cheap.
“Since India and...
