Srinagar-Jammu disruptions worry fruit growers as harvest season begins
Army convoys, Amarnath traffic prioritized, local fruit trucks delayed: Growers
Srinagar: Frequent disruptions on the Srinagar-Jammu highway during the monsoon have left fruit growers in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir worried as the harvest season begins.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the apple industry is the backbone of Kashmir’s economy and accounts for about 75 per cent of India’s total apple production. Growers said 100-120 trucks carrying early varieties of pears, apples and plums are leaving the Valley daily, and any delay on the highway risks heavy losses for perishable produce.
Bashir Ahmad Basheer, chairman of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers-cum-Dealers’ Union, said authorities must ensure the road remains open so that fruit-laden trucks are not stranded for days.
Growers said that whenever the highway is opened, priority is given to Indian Army convoys and non-local traffic in the name of the Amarnath Yatra, while Kashmiri fruit trucks are delayed. They said the BJP regime has followed the same pattern over the past six years, causing severe damage to the local fruit industry. The growers’ body said an advisory for one-way traffic due to road maintenance and Yatra restrictions was affecting transportation of fresh produce. It urged better coordination between traffic authorities and highway agencies for real-time updates.
