AIP demands SRTC trucks and additional railway bogies to stabilize supply chain

Srinagar, Sept 17: The Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) has called upon Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to immediately intervene in what it described as a worsening crisis for fruit growers across Kashmir. The party’s Chief Spokesperson, Inam Un Nabi, said the state government could no longer afford to remain passive as orchardists faced soaring transport charges and acute shortages of essential packing material.

Addressing the mounting concerns of the fruit-growing community, Inam said the industry was reeling under a double blow. He pointed out that freight charges for transporting fruit had risen steeply from ₹60 per peti to as high as ₹230 per peti due to a shortage of transporters. Simultaneously, growers are facing a severe lack of packing material, particularly paper and bardaan, which has left them unable to dispatch their produce on time.

“This situation has become unbearable for our orchardists. The fruit industry is the backbone of Kashmir’s economy, yet it is being pushed into crisis. What makes matters worse is that the elected government is nowhere to be seen on the ground,” Inam said.

The AIP spokesperson added that the Chief Minister must take ownership of the crisis rather than deflecting responsibility. “The Chief Minister cannot continue to look for alibis. These issues fall directly under the domain of the elected government. He must step in without delay and provide immediate relief,” he said.

Inam outlined a set of measures the state could take to stabilize the situation. He demanded that the government urgently mobilize State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) trucks to reduce dependence on private transporters and curb exploitative freight rates. In addition, he called on the Chief Minister to personally impress upon the Government of India the need to provide additional railway bogies dedicated to fruit transportation so that the perishable crop can swiftly reach markets across the country.

Kashmir’s fruit industry, particularly apple farming, supports lakhs of families and is considered one of the primary contributors to the Valley’s economy. The current harvest season, however, has been overshadowed by repeated disruptions, including frequent highway closures, weather-related delays, and transport bottlenecks. [KNT]