BUSINESS

The ban on stone quarrying in SK Bala area of Bandipora district has left numerous families who rely on this trade for their livelihoods in a state of distress. For generations, stone quarrying has been the primary source of income for scores of families in SK Bala Village, providing them with the means to support their households. However, recent environmental concerns and regulatory adjustments have resulted in a ban on this long-standing practice, leaving these families in a state of uncertainty. This ban has had repercussions for both quarry owners and the laborers who depend on it for their income. Many of these families are currently grappling with financial challenges, facing the risk of losing their homes and livelihoods. Local resident Asif Ali Ganie, whose family h...

Industrial units at Lassipora in Pulwama district have demanded uninterrupted power supply to save them from further economic losses. The State Industrial Development Corporation (SIDCO) in Lassipora, the biggest industrial estate in south Kashmir, is battling with a power crisis giving tough time to industrialists. Talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), they said that their work relies on electricity but unscheduled power cuts hit them hard. Almost 350 unit holders are affected, they added. Nisar Ahmad, a unit holder, said they are paying electricity dues in time and yet PDD has resorted to power cuts. "The government promised it would supply uninterrupted electricity to industrial areas but the current unscheduled cuts have proved all these promises are hoax,...

As Kashmiri willow cricket bat is all set to feature in the third world cup, manufacturers hope for the wider adoption of the native cricket bats in international cricket. As per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), after marking its presence in two T20 world cups, Kashmiri cricket bats are all set to debut in the ODI world cup, which is currently being played in India. As many as 18 cricketers from three international teams including Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are going to use the Kashmir willow cricket bats in upcoming matches. As such the manufactures believe that the ongoing world cup will bring more fame to the industry, thereby motivating other cricketers to choose Kashmir over English willow. “This is just the beginning. In coming years, you will see more ...

Traditional apples from Kashmir are in high demand across the country this year due to a significant drop in production, according to various fruit grower associations in the valley. The growers, while speaking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said there is a 30-40 percent decrease in apple production compared to the previous year. They attributed this decline to adverse weather conditions during spring, which hampered proper fruit setting. One of the members of the Fruit Growers Association in Shopian lamented the impact of erratic weather, citing a drastic reduction in his orchard yields. He said there were approximately 3,000 apple boxes in the orchard last year; however, this year's yield is estimated to be around 1,200-1,500 boxes. Similar challenges have...

After suffering losses due to various reasons in recent years, fruit growers in Kashmir are seeing a ray of hope as traditional apples fetch higher prices in the market this season. The fruit growers from different parts of Kashmir told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the demand for traditional varieties has increased significantly from last year, resulting in hefty profits for farmers. Javaid Ahmad, a fruit grower from the Pulwama district, claimed that compared to last year when they struggled to sell their produce and received minimal profits, this year, they have been receiving offers from fruit businesses to purchase their yield. Most orchards have received more than double the prices they received in the different apple Mandis last year, he said. The growers...

Khyber Cement has introduced direct dealer-retailer communication in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, News agency KNT reported. Umar Tramboo, CEO – Khyber Cement, introduced a platform designed to facilitate direct communication between dealers and retailers. To mark this significant milestone, key spokespeople of the brand convened a meeting in Anantnag, attended by scores of people, including dealers and retailers. This gathering also served as a platform to introduce the new methods and discuss the future infrastructure plans for the Kashmir region. During the event, the key spokespeople also took the opportunity to present the dedicated Khyber team for the Anantnag area. The team includes Wasim Khan as Sales Head, Feroz Ahmed Shah as the lead for sales and marketing, and Nayeem...

Hatchmarg, a small village in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, is becoming famous as the ‘tomato village’ of Kashmir. It is proving to be economically significant for the local population with women also making their livelihood from it. The village grows close to 4,000 quintals of tomatoes annually on 400 kanals of land employing almost the entire population of the area. As per the details available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the village produces about 4,000 quintals of tomatoes every year, and of 300 families living there, 280 are associated with this sector. Around 1,200 people, particularly women, are associated with it. They work together in the fields during harvest and cultivation seasons. Tanveer, one of the growers using about 6 kanals of his lan...

At a time when the government is making serious efforts to revive foreign tourism in Kashmir, many countries continue enforcing their travel advisories against Kashmir. As per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), earlier this month, the British government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has also issued a fresh advisory asking British nationals to not travel to Kashmir. In its advisory FDCO had advised its citizens against all travel to the region of Jammu and Kashmir (including Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Sonmarg, the city of Srinagar and Jammu-Srinagar National Highway) “except for travel by air to and from the city of Jammu and travel within the region of Ladakh.” In August, Australia also updated its advisory without making any changes in its travel advisory ...

Cold storage units, that have come in handy for Kashmiri apple growers in selling their produce at their will, have been booked in advance this year and there is no space available to accommodate more growers. The growers from various areas of Kashmir told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that there is a good demand for apples in different markets that are kept in cold storage units and that they have already booked space in advance in cold storage units so as to fetch good rates after March next year. This year’s production is less as compared to the last few years, they said, adding, “Even the demand is good at present, and it becomes more in spring months. So, more and growers prefer to keep their part of produce in cold storage units,” a grower from south Kashmir’s Sho...