The export of Kashmiri apples to Bangladesh has been halted due to the unrest in the country, sparking fears among growers about potential losses.
Bangladesh is an important market for varieties of apples from Kashmir, including American, Red Delicious, Dilruba, and Dilnasheen. Apple dealers from Bangladesh arrive in Kashmir at the start of the harvest season to buy the fruit from farmers. They stay in Kashmir for a few months and leave after the season ends.
Farmers say the fresh varieties of apples will be ready for sale next week, but the turmoil in Bangladesh will delay their exports, resulting in losses. Fayaz Ahmad Malik, president of Sopore Fruit Mandi, said the instability in Bangladesh was a matter of concern and hoped the situation would return to normal quickly. "The exports to Bangladesh begin in the early days of the harvest season," he said. "Some apple trucks left Kashmir for Bangladesh, but after the crisis erupted there, shipments have stopped."
He said Bangladesh is a key export market for Kashmiri apples worth
Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 crore annually. "Over 70 per cent of the American variety of apples from north Kashmir is usually exported to Bangladesh annually," he said. “Out of 300,000 MT of apples produced in north Kashmir, 250,000 MT are sent to Bangladesh."
On average, 30 trucks loaded with apples leave for Bangladesh daily during the harvest season.
Ghulam Muhammad Bhat, a grower, said dealers from Bangladesh start to arrive by August in search of American varieties. "If the situation in that country doesn’t return to normal quickly, we will incur losses," he said.
The demand for Kashmiri apples in Bangladesh has witnessed a jump over the years, much to the relief of these apple farmers who face competition from Iranian growers. Farmers and dealers in Kashmir have worked closely with distributors in Bangladesh to increase their sales. The relationship has been mutually beneficial.
Bangladesh is also an important educational centre for Kashmiri students studying MBBS. Hundreds of Kashmiri students have returned home after the violence in the country over reservations in government jobs for the kin of people who fought in the 1971 Independence War.