Pak food items find many takers in J&K

Even as trade with Pakistan via the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road in Jammu and Kashmir is yet to begin, eatables from the neighbouring country have already made it to Kashmir and though priced exorbitantly are very popular amongst people in the state.

Sajad Ahmed Bhat, a Srinagar resident who confronted a shopkeeper upon being charged Rs 60 instead of the usual Rs 45 for a jam bottle was pacified when he was told the pack cost more since it was from Pakistan.

Items from Pakistan including spices, jam, pickle and tomato sauce have made their entry into the shops in Kashmir, Bhat said.

Shopkeepers also said they were optimistic about these items becoming popular. "I feel those are good quality and packed well," said Ghulam Nabi, a shopkeeper in Batmaloo area of central Srinagar.

Ghulam Hassan, a customer said, "It is good that the food items from Pakistan have started reaching here. At least we now have a better choice available. The items which I saw were good, quality wise and I hope other items which will reach here are also good," he said.

Some customers like Imtiyaz Ahmed, however, suggested that authorities should conduct a proper check of the quality of food items that were available in the state and also those that were arriving from other states.

Last year a stall put up by Pakistan at an exhibition at pologround here became a star attraction and did brisk business in marble and other items with people queuing up to buy items just because they had a Pakistani label.

Fruit growers in Kashmir say they are waiting for a go ahead signal to export fruits especially apple, cherry and dry fruits to Pakistan and other Central Asian countries through the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road.

"I am waiting for the day when Kashmiri apples again reach Pakistani markets and those of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir," Abdul Hamid, a fruit grower of Baramulla said.

He said there was a proposal to send a delegation of fruit growers to Muzaffarabad to explore possibility of exporting fruit and handicrafts to Pakistan and other countries.

Officials here said the government of the two countries had agreed to open the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road for trade and modalities were being worked out for the purpose.