Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday blamed the administration for failing the apple growers in the Kashmir region by alleging they were "paid half" of what they normally earn for their produce.
"Apparently Kashmiri apple growers were paid half price per kilogram instead of what they earn in normal circumstances. How will the establishment ensure development in Jammu and Kashmir when they cannot even afford to pay these hard-working farmers what they deserve?" Mufti's tweet read.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader quoted a report in the media to further her claim.
However, earlier this week it had been reported that the production of apple was in full swing in Kashmir valley with the help of High-Density Plants (HDP).
These plants, which are used at a larger scale, not only produce good quality of apples but also provide with a better quantity.
A farmer, Abdul Rasheed, talking to on Saturday had said, "After using the high-density plants, I'm making double profits. It does not even require much labour charges and is not time-consuming. A single person can handle this. Comparatively to the old method, this method is really helping all the people here as it produces apples in good quality and quantity. This method is far better than the traditional method."
( With inputs from ANI )