BUSINESS

Kashmir orchardists are spraying growth regulators worth crores despite not being recommended by SKAUST or the department of horticulture. With the onset of spring, growers in several areas of Kashmir have started spraying growth regulators in their orchards with the claim it helps in better fruit set. But some still believe it is a waste of time. Experts told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that there are over a dozen brands of growth regulators available in the market but none of them have been recommended either by the directorate of horticulture or by SKUAST (Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology). Mohammad Ashraf, a fruit grower from Shopian said that fruit sets maintained by growth regulators don't last long and all these fruits fall ...

Every morning Waseem Ahmad Wani (26) leaves his home with a variety of flower saplings towards Srinagar-Baramulla highway. He stations at multiple places along the highway selling a variety of native as well as exotic flower saplings to the people. This has been his routine during the spring and summer seasons for the last three years and gives him enough returns to make ends meet. “I was earlier working in a private company which gave me a very low salary. In 2021, I learned about the scope of floriculture in Kashmir and utilized my five marlas of agriculture land growing a variety of follower saplings,” he told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO). Wani said he sought assistance from the floriculture department in growing exotic flower saplings. “I installed a greenhouse a...

The fruit growers and buyers in Kashmir are deeply concerned, saying they face losses due to the low demand for apples. Speaking with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), growers and buyers expressed their dismay over the current situation, saying there has been a drastic decrease in apple prices compared to the rates during the main apple season in October-November 2023. Mohamad Ashraf, a fruit grower from Shopian, said he was offered Rs 1,200 per apple box in November last year but opted to store them in a cold store at Lassipora. However, he now finds himself receiving only around Rs 800 per box, much lower than the expected rates of Rs 1,800-2,000. Similarly, Shakeel Ahmad, an apple trader, lamented purchasing high-quality apples at Rs 1,000-1,500 per box last Novem...

The latest controversy to erupt in Kashmir is of watermelons. This controversy erupted after few Kashmiri doctors alleged that artificial chemicals were used for ripening watermelons, adding this was not the season of watermelon harvesting. Most doctors stirred social media, affecting the livelihoods of many who rely on selling watermelons. However, the claim of March-April not being a season of harvesting is not true and lacks basic research. According to National Horticulture Board, in India, the predominantly tropical climate makes all seasons conducive to watermelon cultivation. In states such as Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and others, watermelon cultivation is viable nearly year-round. However, watermelons are sensitive to cold and frost, necessitating cultivation in r...

As the holy month Ramadan is here, markets across the Kashmir Valley are bustling with activity. However, residents are facing the challenge of soaring prices for essential food items, triggering widespread resentment among the residents. Amidst a surge in demand for essential goods, the absence of any official intervention to check food prices has perturbed the consumers. "There is nobody to check market prices which the shopkeepers set by their own liking," said Abdul Rashid Khan, a resident of Nawakadal in Srinagar. One of the most alarming rise has been witnessed in the prices of Mutton. "The butchers charge with their own will. The prices are at places as high as 680 a kilogram and at others 650, 600, it is all a matter of liking with nobody to check," said Suhail, a local re...

Kashmiri bat manufacturers have set their sights on prominent players from renowned cricketing nations to play with Kashmiri bats in the upcoming T20 World Cup. Speaking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), representatives of bat manufacturers said there has been a surge in demand for Kashmir Willow bats in global markets following their use by international cricket players in the last two World Cups. Fawzul Kabiir, spokesperson of the Bat Manufacturers Association Kashmir, informed KNO that this will mark the third consecutive occasion where players will use Kashmiri bats in the world cup. He said that during the previous two World Cups, athletes from lesser-known countries played with Kashmiri bats, but this year, discussions are underway with several prominent cricke...

India signed the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the four-nation European Free Trade Association (EFTA) bloc, on Sunday. Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal co-chaired the meeting on the India-EFTA trade agreement in the national capital on Sunday. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is a regional trade organisation of four countries–Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland–that aims to promote free trade and economic integration. Earlier in the day, the Foreign Minister of Iceland, Bjarni Benediktsson, and Liechtenstein, Dominique Hasler, arrived in the national capital for the signing of Trade and Economic Participation Agreement (TEPA). Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal posted about her arrival sayng that the visit by the Liechten...

Prime Minister Narendra Mod declared a substantial reduction of ₹100 in the prices of domestic gas cylinders. "Today, on Women's Day, our Government has decided to reduce LPG cylinder prices by Rs. 100. This will significantly ease the financial burden on millions of households across the country, especially benefiting our Nari Shakti," he stated. Emphasizing the broader impact of the initiative, PM Modi underscored the importance of accessible cooking gas in fostering a healthier environment and supporting family well-being. He reaffirmed the government's commitment to empowering women and ensuring 'Ease of Living' for all. "By making cooking gas more affordable, we also aim to support the well-being of families and ensure a healthier environment. This is in line with our comm...

A cricket bat manufacturer in the Sangam area here was in for a pleasant surprise when Sachin Tendulkar and his family visited his manufacturing unit on Saturday. Tendulkar, accompanied by wife Anjali and daughter Sara, stopped by at a unit in Charsoo on the Srinagar-Jammu highway and interacted with the workers there. “We were busy making bats when a vehicle stopped at our gate. We were pleasantly surprised to find the Little Master and his family," Mohammad Shaheen Parray, owner of MJ Sports, told PTI over phone. Parray said Tendulkar checked the quality of the bats made of Kashmir willow. “He stroked a few bats and was quite pleased with the quality. Tendulkar said he had come to compare the Kashmir willow bats with those made of English willow. “We requested him to lend ...

Mohammad Shafi, a resident of Srinagar, seems confused as he wanders from one vendor to another, attempting to purchase vegetables along the stretch from Amira Kadal to Lal Ded Hospital road. The reason for the confusion, according to Shafi, is the disparity in prices among grocers within a radius of no more than 200 meters. “I have checked the rates of each vendor, and they are all selling vegetables at different prices,” Shafi told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO). "At Amira Kadal grocers sell onions for Rs 40, capsicums for Rs 120 and tomatoes for Rs 70 per kilogram," he said, adding that the prices set by vegetable vendors differ from those found at Maharaji Bazar and LD Hospital Road. “There is no fixed pricing on vegetables. Rates fluctuate by 50 to 100 percent be...