Srinagar, August 28: In what has signalled a red alert for Kashmir’s apple growers this year, scientists at the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Kashmir (SKAUST-K), have corrobora

The orange and vermicelli sold in the Dhaka city markets are all treated with formalin, said a test report by green rights activists on Sunday.

Gearing up for a bumper apple crop, the state-owned HPMC has drawn up a plan to process a record 20,000 tonne of fruit during the current season to make the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) an effe

The Energy Resource Institute (TERI), New Delhi, will help apple growers in the state to tide over the problem of obsolete and senile plants and provide virus-free elite rootstocks to them so that

Formalin is used in 93.75 per cent of mangoes selling in the capital, said a report of Save the Environment Movement on Tuesday.

The senile but healthy plants in old apple orchards will be rejuvenated under a new Centrally aided project to be launched soon in the state.

With the efforts of veteran horticulture scientist Chiranjit Parmar from Mandi, apple cultivation no longer remains the exclusive domain of Himalayan hill areas.

Himachal Pradesh, known for its wide variety of fruit produce, could soon have competition from the faraway state of Sikkim. The former princely state in the northeast is foraying into cultivation of not only exotic items kiwifruit, but also more common varieties like apples, pears, pomegranate, almonds and walnuts.

“Introducing and cultivating kiwifruit and strawberry in this state is one of our success stories,” Dr Ashish Yadav, senior scientist at Indian Council for Agricultural Research’s regional centre, here said. “Given the soil and climatic conditions, there is vast potential for kiwifruit cultivation in Sikkim as also in other areas of the northeast India,” he added.

When Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain travels to the remote Nogaon area of Uttarakhand this week, he will flag off a refrigerated apple van, a vital link of the cold chain that has been developed for the first time in the hill state.

Jain will also study an inclusive business model of small and marginal farmers in the apple value addition business chain. Initiated by Stichting Het Groene Woutd (SHGW), a Dutch family foundation and social investor, and NGO Sri Jagdamba Samiti (SJS), this model has helped create employment, income, technical skill and capacity among the apple growers of Uttarakhand.

Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Minister Narinder Bragta on Wednesday said FDI in multi-brand retail will wipe out Indian fruit industry and besides, Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand and Jammu & Kash

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