SRINAGAR: After suffering losses of over `2,000 crore due to the prolonged closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway last year, Kashmir’s apple growers have expressed concern over frequent disruptions on the highway during the ongoing harvest season.
They have sought uninterrupted movement of fruit-laden trucks to markets across the country, warning that delays in transporting the highly perishable produce could inflict heavy financial losses this year as well.
The apple industry, which supports lakhs of families and contributes nearly `12,000 crore annually to Jammu and Kashmir’s economy, depends almost entirely on the 270-km Srinagar-Jammu National Highway to transport fruit to markets in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bengaluru and Chennai.
President of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers-cum-Dealers Union, Bashir Ahmad Basheer, said the highway is the lifeline of the Valley’s horticulture sector and any disruption directly affects the apple trade. At present, around 100 to 125 apple-laden trucks leave the Valley for markets across the country every day. The number is expected to rise as the harvesting season gathers pace.
Basheer said fruit-laden trucks were recently stranded on the highway for nearly three days and were allowed to move only after repeated appeals to the administration.
“Apple consignments are expected to reach Delhi within 24 hours. However, due to the recent highway closure, trucks took more than four days to reach the national capital,” he said. He said apples are highly perishable and prolonged transit increases the risk of spoilage and deterioration in quality, leading to lower prices and significant losses for growers.
“Even minor delays reduce the quality of the produce, resulting in lower prices and losses for farmers,” Basheer said.
He said one-way traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway during the ongoing Amarnath Yatra could further delay the transportation of apples during the peak marketing season and adversely affect the horticulture sector. The growers revealed that the administration has suggested using the Mughal Road to transport apples outside J&K.
However, they said the option is not practical because only trucks with six to 10 tyres are permitted on the road, while apple consignments are generally transported in larger trucks with 12 to 16 tyres.
On the option of transporting apples by freight trains, Basheer said it was feasible but involved repeated loading and unloading of apple boxes.
The Union has urged the J&K government to ensure smooth, uninterrupted and hassle-free movement of apple-laden trucks to markets across the country without disruptions on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.
Highway crisis
Apple growers seek smooth transit of fruit trucks to markets
Prolonged transit raises risk of spoilage & deterioration of apples
The apple industry contributes nearly Rs 12,000 cr annually to J&K’s economy
It depends almost entirely on 270 km Srinagar-Jammu National Highway
Frequent highway disruptions directly affect the fruit industry
Only 1-way traffic currently allowed on Srinagar-Jammu highway