WEATHER VAGARIES FALLOUT : Kashmir growers say Rs 100 Cr crop stranded due to highway closure
Srinagar, Aug 31: Kashmir’s horticulture sector, the mainstay of the Valley’s economy, is on the brink of disaster as the closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway has left over 1,000 fruit-laden trucks stranded for days together.
Kashmir fruit growers estimate losses may cross Rs 100 crore if the highway is not restored urgently, with highly perishable varieties already beginning to spoil.
Triggered by incessant rains, landslides, and floods in parts of Jammu, the shutdown has cut off the Valley’s only all-weather road link with outside markets. While the Mughal Road remains open, authorities are not permitting heavy trucks to ply on the route, leaving traders and growers with no alternative.
“These are delicate fruits which cannot withstand long delays. Varieties like Bagogosha pears, Galamast apples, and Red Ghala apples perish within days if not kept in controlled conditions. More than 1,000 trucks are stranded, each carrying fruit worth Rs 5 to Rs 9 lakh. By our estimates, the loss will easily exceed Rs 100 crore if the situation continues,” said Bashir Ahmad Basheer, Chairman of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers-cum-Dealers Union, while speaking to Greater Kashmir.
He said the crisis will have a cascading effect on every link of the fruit economy.
“It’s not only growers, but traders, drivers, transporters, and daily-wage workers who will suffer. Fruit is the backbone of Kashmir’s economy, and if this collapse is not stopped, the damage will be long-term,” Basheer said.
The shutdown comes at peak harvest season, when thousands of metric tonnes of apples and pears move out of Kashmir each day.
With movement halted, growers say their hard work of the past year is on the verge of being wasted.
“I have 500 boxes of Bagogosha pears in my truck, stuck at Ramban for three days. If they don’t move soon, everything will rot. Who will compensate us?” asked Abdul Rashid, a grower.
Another grower, Muhammad Yousuf, said traders are refusing to buy fruit from orchards, fearing transportation delays.
“Thousands of boxes are lying unsold in villages. Even harvesting has slowed down because there is no point picking fruit that won’t reach the market,” he said.
Shabir Ahmad, who had dispatched two truckloads of pears last week, said he suffered complete losses.
“By the time the trucks were allowed to move, the fruit had decayed. I had to dump it on the roadside. This is the most painful experience for any grower,” he said.
Fruit unions and traders have appealed to authorities to immediately allow stranded trucks to move through the Mughal Road until the highway is cleared.
“We are not blaming the weather, but there should be a contingency plan. If the highway is blocked, at least give us an alternative. Why are heavy trucks being stopped on Mughal Road when our produce is rotting?” asked Farooq Ahmad, a trader from Anantnag.
Officials said efforts are on to clear landslides along the Ramban-Banihal stretch, but continuous rains have hampered work.
However, growers say time is running out.
“Every day of delay is destroying fruit worth crores. Kashmir is called the Apple Bowl of Asia, but right now we are only producing losses,” Basheer said.
