Authorities in Pulwama are examining the cause of damage to an apple orchard that was reportedly harmed by pesticide use. The orchard, located in Chandgam village in the Litter area of Pulwama, suffered severe damage on July 11.
Gulzar Ahmad Bhat, a local farmer, noticed significant harm to his 8-kanal apple orchard after using a pesticide. Mohammad Shafi Dar, a Subject Matter Specialist from the Horticulture Department in Pulwama, said that an Enforcement Inspector from the Agriculture Department collected pesticide samples from the dealer for chemical analysis under the Insecticide Act of 1968.
“A show cause notice was also issued to the pesticide’s manufacturing company by the Law Enforcement Inspector,” Dar explained. During the inspection, it was discovered that although the dealer had the required permissions to sell the pesticide, it was not recommended by SKUAST-K for controlling Red Mite, which was the intended use.
The farmer had followed the advice of the local pesticide dealer. Dar reported that the Chief Horticulture Officer (CHO) of Pulwama visited the orchard and found extensive damage. Out of 655 apple plants, 485 were partially damaged, and the current season’s fruit was affected.
An advisory was promptly issued to the farmer to prevent further damage and assist with recovery. The Director Extension of SKUAST-K was also asked to send a team of scientists to provide technical support and advice. The team visited the orchard on July 23, 2024, and collected samples of fruit, leaves, weeds, and soil for chemical testing.
A report on their findings is expected within a week. Dar noted that the exact cause of the damage will only be known after receiving the test results of the pesticide sample and plant parts, so it is too early to determine the cause.
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