Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, July 31

Kashmir’s horticulture industry has urged authorities to ensure uninterrupted movement of fruit-laden trucks as repeated closures and restrictions on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway threaten to disrupt the early apple harvest.

Growers and traders said landslides, flash floods, falling rocks, road repairs and traffic restrictions linked to the annual Amarnath Yatra had delayed shipments at a crucial time for the sector.

The highway is the main route for transporting Kashmir’s apples to wholesale markets in northern India, including Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

The industry supports hundreds of thousands of families and contributes about Rs 12,000 crore annually to the economy of Jammu and Kashmir, according to industry representatives.

Early-season varieties such as Gala apples and plums are particularly vulnerable to delays because of their shorter shelf life, growers said.

“We appeal to the administration to treat fruit-laden trucks as a priority. Perishable produce cannot remain stranded for long, and every delay translates into losses for growers,” said Bashir Ahmad Basheer, president of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers and Dealers Union.

The union said about 100 to 120 fruit-laden trucks were leaving Kashmir each day during the current harvesting period.

Basheer also called for a system allowing fruit trucks to move during periods of traffic restrictions imposed for the Amarnath pilgrimage.

“The harvesting of Gala apples and plums has already begun, and buyers from outside J&K expect timely deliveries,” he said.

Authorities have advised transporters to use the Mughal Road when the national highway is closed, but traders said the alternative route could not accommodate the larger trucks commonly used to transport apples.

Javed Ahmad, a fruit trader from Sopore, said most consignments were carried in 12-tyre and 16-tyre trucks, while the alternative route was more suitable for smaller vehicles.

Growers and traders have called for dedicated time slots or priority passage for vehicles carrying perishable produce, as well as better coordination between traffic authorities, highway agencies and district administrations.

They also urged authorities to provide real-time information on road conditions so transporters can plan shipments and avoid prolonged delays.