The nearly month-long closure of the Jammu-Srinagar national highway has disrupted the supply chain between the two divisions of the Union Territory, causing apple prices to drop sharply at the Jammu fruit mandi.
With truck consignments delayed by several days, perishable apples are arriving in poor condition, forcing traders to sell at drastically reduced rates. Growers and traders alike are now grappling with heavy financial losses, raising concerns over the future stability of the region's apple trade amid continued transport hurdles.
The 270-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, suffered extensive damage at several places, especially between Nashri and Udhampur, in the aftermath of record rainfall on August 26 and 27, leading to its closure for vehicular movement.
The traffic on the highway was partially restored last week, but hundreds of trucks, including those carrying apples to different markets within and outside Jammu and Kashmir, remained stranded for days, causing extensive damage to the produce.
"It is a difficult period for everyone...the road has done more damage than the rain. Some of the trucks, which had left Kashmir on September 1, are reaching here today (September 16)," Sandeep Mahajan, a trader at Narwal Mandi, the main terminal market for fresh vegetables and fruit in Jammu, told PTI.
He said this is the peak apple season and "the government needs to take corrective measures to minimise the losses".
"What is the survival rate of the perishable goods when a truck takes a fortnight to reach Jammu market from Kashmir?” he said, claiming that 60 per cent of the produce is almost damaged, forcing them to sell the apples at throwaway prices.
He said the introduction of a freight train to carry apples from central Kashmir’s Budgam to New Delhi via Jammu cannot be an alternative, given its limited load carriage and non-coverage of all fruit-producing areas, especially south Kashmir.
Randeer Gupta, another trader, said they are staring at the total loss of their money this time.
"I do not think it will be more than five per cent of what we have invested. The boxes worth Rs 1,000 are selling at Rs 100 and Rs 200. The apple-laden trucks are taking more than 10 days to reach here," he added.
He said the traders have invested a lot of money with the hope of overcoming past losses. "This time, the grower as well as the trader are ruined." Manik Gupta said he has been trading in the market for five decades, but had never seen such a situation.
"We have seen ups and downs in the past, but this time, it is total destruction. Almost 60 per cent of the crop has been destroyed," he said, adding that given the situation, the growers in Kashmir are reluctant to load their produce because they have suffered huge losses.
He said the goods reaching the Jammu market are of no value.
"After farmers, the traders who have invested a lot of money are also suffering. We have already given more than 50 per cent of payments almost six months in advance. Some people have taken loans and others invested all their earnings," he pointed out.
He said the apple season lasts for three months and the government should ensure smooth transportation of the horticulture produce, which is the backbone of the J&K economy.
"We have heard that controlled atmosphere stores are already full in Kashmir. The government must work hard to facilitate the smooth transportation of horticulture produce from the valley," he noted.
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