Mechanism worked out for transportation of Cherry, other fruit: Advisor Sharma

Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, K.K. Sharma today said that the government has worked out a mechanism for ensuring speedy transportation of the horticultural produce especially the seasonal fruit cherry by way of various interventions.

The Advisor said this while interacting with the representatives of the cherry processing unit holders during his tour to the Harwan horticulture nursery here today where he inspected the activities being undertaken by the Horticulture department.

Director Horticulture, Kashmir, Aijaz Ahmad Bhat and other senior officers of the department were also present.

The Advisors said that the government is fully abreast with the situation that has arisen out of COVID 19 pandemic due to which the cherry growers and processing unit holders are facing problems. He said necessary steps are being taken for ensuring their transportation to other parts of the country where they are marketed.

The Advisor asked  the Director Horticulture Kashmir to provide all the necessary help to the unit holders with regard to the movement passes and other related things. He said that with regard to the provision of subsidy on transportation of cherry to different terminal markets it would be taken up with the concerned.

Deputy Director Horticulture was nominated as Nodal officer for laisoning with the cherry processing unit holders and taking necessary steps for addressing their grievances.

Director Horticulture informed the Advisor that 215 tonnes of cherry have already been exported to different markets of the country and around 1000 boxes have  been airlifted to Mumbai till date and Cherry canning units have started to function and rest are following . It was also informed that about 2000 tonnes of Raw cherry were exported to different mandies of the country last year besides  6000 tonnes were canned.