{"id":182542,"date":"2025-09-01T09:40:36","date_gmt":"2025-09-01T04:40:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/?p=182542"},"modified":"2025-09-01T09:40:36","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T04:40:36","slug":"highway-blockade-risks-kashmirs-fruit-economy-as-growers-warn-of-rotting-produce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kmsnews.org\/kms\/2025\/09\/01\/highway-blockade-risks-kashmirs-fruit-economy-as-growers-warn-of-rotting-produce.html","title":{"rendered":"Highway blockade risks Kashmir\u2019s fruit economy as growers warn of rotting produce"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Srinagar: Indian illegally occupied Kashmir\u2019s horticulture sector has raised a collective alarm over the prolonged closure of the Srinagar-Jammu highway, warning that the blockade is pushing apples and pears worth billions towards decay and threatening the livelihoods of lakhs of families across the Valley.<\/p>\n

According to Kashmir Media Service, this is the seventh straight day of disruption, leaving more than 400 fruit-laden trucks stranded at Sopore Fruit Mandi, while freshly harvested produce in orchards across Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora remains unsold.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is turning into a disaster,\u201d said Fayaz Ahmad Malik, President of the Fruit Growers Association Sopore. \u201cApples and pears have a limited shelf life. Every passing day without transport means losses running into crores. The government must immediately operate goods trains to ferry fruit out of the Valley.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Jammu and Kashmir Apple Farmers Federation also sounded alarm, saying that apple-laden trucks stranded on highways were beginning to rot. \u201cApple is the backbone of Kashmir\u2019s economy, and every day of delay means huge financial losses for growers,\u201d Federation President Zahoor Ahmad Rather said. He urged authorities to give apple trucks preference once the road is reopened to prevent further damage.<\/p>\n

Growers further appealed for alternate transport routes like the Mughal Road to be kept functional. \u201cOne goods train can replace hundreds of trucks. The government must act now, otherwise this season will turn into a catastrophe for our Rs 10,000 crore industry,\u201d Muhammad Aslam, an orchardist from Sopore, remarked.<\/p>\n

Observers warn that unless urgent measures are taken, Kashmir\u2019s entire horticulture sector\u2014comprising apples, pears and other fruits\u2014faces irreversible damage this season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Srinagar: Indian illegally occupied Kashmir\u2019s horticulture sector has raised a collective alarm over the prolonged closure of the Srinagar-Jammu highway, warning that the blockade is pushing apples and pears worth billions towards decay and threatening the livelihoods of lakhs of families across the Valley. According to Kashmir Media Service, this is the seventh straight day …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":182303,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-182542","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-indian-occupied-jammu-and-kashmir"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t