Srinagar, Sept 16: Kashmir’s apple industry, the backbone of the region’s rural economy, is reeling under unprecedented losses as repeated closures of the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway leave thousands of fruit-laden trucks stranded for days. Growers and traders warn that the crisis could devastate livelihoods if urgent measures are not taken.
Apples Rotting in Trucks
With the highway—the Valley’s only all-weather road link to the rest of India—shut frequently due to landslides, rains, and poor road maintenance, apple consignments worth crores are stuck mid-journey. The perishable nature of the produce means delays of even 24–48 hours can result in rot. “We are losing lakhs every day. Rotten apples fetch no buyers, and the cost of repackaging doubles our burden,” said Fayaz Ahmad Malik, President of Sopore Fruit Mandi.
Packaging Costs Skyrocket
In addition to losses from damaged produce, the soaring cost of packaging material has added to growers’ woes. Carton and tray prices have spiked sharply this season, forcing growers to spend more on each box of apples while recovering less from buyers due to delays and market depreciation.
Protests at Mandis
Asia’s second-largest fruit mandi in Sopore and others across the Valley observed shutdowns earlier this week in protest. Growers and traders accused the government of “criminal indifference” toward the crisis. “If cement and iron trucks are allowed to move, why are apple trucks stopped? This is discrimination against Kashmir’s economy,” one trader remarked.
Calls for Immediate Action
Growers and mandi associations are urging the administration to provide exclusive traffic windows for fruit trucks, expedite the restoration of Mughal Road as an alternative route, and increase rail freight capacity for apples. They argue that without reliable transportation, Kashmir’s horticulture sector—which contributes nearly 8% to J&K’s GDP—could collapse under mounting debts.
Government Response
While Indian Railways recently launched a daily parcel train from Srinagar to Delhi for apple transport, growers argue that the service is limited and cannot absorb the entire market load. The administration has assured that restoration works on the highway are underway, but protests suggest patience among growers is wearing thin.
For now, the silence in usually bustling fruit mandis is a stark reminder of the scale of losses—and of the uncertainty facing Kashmir’s apple growers as their peak harvest season coincides with a paralyzed highway.
