Highway closure triggers mutton crisis in Kashmir amid peak wedding season
Srinagar: In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the prolonged closure of the Srinagar-Jammu highway has triggered a severe mutton shortage in the Valley at a time when demand is at its peak due to the ongoing marriage season.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Kashmir normally consumes more than 100 truckloads of mutton daily in this period, but the highway blockade for the past more than one week has left livestock trucks stranded, slashing supplies.
General Secretary of the All Kashmir Mutton Dealers Union, Mehrajuddin Ganie, said the crisis has crippled the trade as diversions through dilapidated Mughal Road take nearly three days, exhausting both animals and drivers.
Dealers said they are forced to prioritize bulk wedding orders, cutting back on retail sales, while butchers in Srinagar confirmed shutting shops for want of stock. Prices have already begun to rise in the few outlets still operating. Consumers, including families preparing for weddings, expressed deep anxiety over not receiving promised supplies.
Officials admitted the highway remained vulnerable to landslides in Ramban and Banihal due to incessant rains.
With no relief in sight and alternative routes unable to meet the Valley’s requirements, Kashmir is bracing for a worsening mutton crisis if supplies are not restored quickly.
