In Jammu and Kashmir, a dispute has arisen between fruit growers, traders, and owners of Controlled Atmosphere (CA) and cold storage facilities. The contention revolves around the allegedly high charges imposed by the storage facilities for various services.
According to the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers (KVFG) Union, CA/cold store owners are demanding excessive rates for cardboard boxes, storage fees, tape charges, and bin/crate charges. The chairman of KVFG, Bashir Ahmad Bashir, highlighted that the quality of cardboard boxes provided by CA/cold store owners is inferior, despite being 30% more expensive than those available in the open market. Furthermore, Bashir claimed that these owners restrict growers and dealers from purchasing packing materials from external sources, compelling them to buy at inflated rates from the CA/cold stores directly.
Another grievance raised pertains to the storage practices and charges for apple crops under the Jammu and Kashmir Procedure and Instructions for Controlled Atmosphere Stores (JKPICCA).
Source: kashmirpatriot.com