Kashmir Inc rallies behind fruit growers

Srinagar, Sep 18: Kashmir Inc is rallying behind fruit growers, urging the government to take urgent steps to ensure the smooth transportation of apple produce to outside markets.

The closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway has stranded fruit-laden trucks for over 20 days, triggering chaos across the horticulture sector and causing estimated losses of more than Rs 1000 crore.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) President, Javid Ahmad Tenga, described the situation as grave.

“Talking about final loss figures is premature, as hundreds of vehicles are still stranded. Fruit growers are facing a very difficult phase. It is being reported that fruit stuck on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, if rotten or damaged, will fetch far lesser prices in mandis outside. This is a grave situation for our horticulture sector, which generates nearly 9 crore mandays annually and contributes around Rs 20,000 crore to the economy – the highest revenue generator for Kashmir.”

He said that it was ironic that the highway was still not an all-weather road and remains susceptible to vagaries of weather.

“We have been demanding crop insurance for years, and it is high time the government introduced it. A committee with all stakeholders should be constituted to estimate the actual losses caused by this closure,” Tenga said.

Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation (KTMF) President Muhammad Yaseen Khan echoed similar concerns.

“This is a tough time for our economy. Fruit growers had high expectations of a good season, but the closure of the highway during the peak harvest has thrown everything into chaos. Trucks are stranded for weeks, losses are mounting with every passing day, and this will have a long-term ripple effect on the economy. If corrective steps are not taken immediately, this crisis will leave scars on the livelihoods of thousands of families,” Khan said.

Co-Chair of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), Himayu Wani, also pressed for decisive government action.

“Thousands of fruit-laden trucks are stranded, causing immense financial damage. This is a testing time for the administration, and the government must come to the rescue of Kashmir’s major economic activity. Why is preparedness lacking year after year? Why are we never ready before the harvest? Why do we only raise a hue and cry once calamity strikes?” Wani said.

The PHDCCI delegation stressed the need for war-footing measures, including immediate highway clearance, development of alternative evacuation routes, and long-term infrastructure solutions.

While welcoming the launch of parcel train services, it urged the creation of multimodal cargo terminals under the Gati Shakti initiative in a Public-Private Partnership mode.

It also called for a comprehensive Master Plan for the timely evacuation of apples and other produce, arguing that while growers focus on cultivating quality fruit, the government must ensure logistics, infrastructure, and planning are in place.

Kashmir Trade Alliance (KTA) President, Aijaz Shahdar, expressed strong concern over the prevailing crisis.

“What we are witnessing today is not just a transportation bottleneck but a complete collapse of planning and preparedness. The apple industry is the lifeline of our rural economy, yet it has been left at the mercy of road closures and administrative indifference. Every passing day of delay is pushing growers into unbearable losses, with apples rotting in stranded trucks. We demand immediate clearance of the highway, priority passage for fruit-laden vehicles, and compensation for growers whose produce has been damaged. Unless structural reforms are made, this nightmare will repeat every year,” Shahdar said.

Economists said that the scale of the crisis goes far beyond growers and traders.

The horticulture sector contributes nearly 8 percent of J&K’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) and sustains over 35 lakh people directly or indirectly.

With apple alone forming 75 percent of Kashmir’s fruit output, disruptions during harvest season send shockwaves across transport, trade, and retail networks.

Combined with the slowdown in tourism after the April Pahalgam attack, the blockade threatens to shave off a significant share of Kashmir’s economic output this fiscal year.