Sarhad’ to organise maiden ‘World Apple Conference’ in Srinagar this year
Srinagar February, 8 (PTK) A Pune-based non-governmental organization is organizing the first-ever ‘World Apple Conference’ in Srinagar later this year, in which experts from experts from different backgrounds will deliberate on the issues by the industry.
A spokesman of the NGO, Sarhad said they are organizing the three-day conference from 24th June this year along with Sopore-based Apple Farmer Producer Company, JandK.
The conference is being organised in order to better empower the apple growers/ farmers of Jammu and Kashmir who have been facing huge losses due to unprecedented fall in prices of their produce during the last 5-6 seasons, read the statement.
“Even this year the apple season this year fetched prices below expectations this year leading to losses for farmers across the state. Hence, the conference comes just in the right time to explore possible avenues to help mitigate the effect of crop and financial losses to apple farmers owing to unforeseen circumstances such as natural disasters, low crop yield, weak market, storage issues.”
It said that crop insurance, value addition, cold storage, logistics and supply chain management and integration will be the core focus of the conference.
“Another major issue faced by the apple growers/farmers is the wastage of crop both premature and post harvesting. Premature wastage occurs due to fruit drop i.e. fruits falling off of trees before ripening which happens due to various reasons such as pests, adverse weather and climatic conditions,” added the statement.
“Post-harvest wastage can occur when the crop goes unsold due to lower prices and ultimately goes to waste or when the produce does not reach the target markets on time and turns rotten due to unfavorable transport, storage and warehousing facilities.”
It said that potential solutions to such issues such as strengthening of highway transport and logistics in the form of better roadways and highways could help mitigate the problem of produce reaching the markets on time. “Cold storages could help arrest the ripening of crops and buy more time for the produce to reach the markets,” it added. (PTK)
