Highway Closures Hit Hard: Kashmir Apple Growers Face Significant Losses This Season

Frequent closures of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, a critical supply route for Kashmir’s apple growers, have come to the forefront following recent reports of landslides and road works that have hindered transport during the harvest season. According to Bashir Ahmad Basheer, chairman of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers-cum-Dealers Union, these disruptions can extend the travel time for fruit-laden trucks to Delhi from the usual 15-18 hours to weeks, which results in significant spoilage of perishable goods. A government-commissioned study highlights that more than 9.51% of Jammu and Kashmir’s apple production is lost post-harvest due to inadequate storage and transportation infrastructure, emphasizing the urgent need for policy intervention and infrastructural investment in the region.

The impact of these highway closures reverberates not only through the agricultural sector but also affects common citizens reliant on the apple industry for their livelihoods. The estimated losses for the previous year ranged between ₹1500 to ₹2000 crore, although this season’s losses remain uncalculated. The inefficiencies in transport logistics result in increased prices for consumers and diminished income for farmers, creating a cyclical problem that threatens the viability of apple farming in Kashmir. The lack of reliable alternative routes further exacerbates these issues, making it crucial for both the government and private sector to explore innovative logistics solutions.

In the long term, the government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) must prioritize investments in transportation infrastructure to facilitate smoother logistics for perishable goods. Initiatives such as expanding the Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage capacity and establishing dedicated loading facilities for cargo trains could mitigate post-harvest losses significantly. As the region continues to wrestle with these logistical challenges, effective multi-level stakeholder engagement will be critical in shaping policies that not only address immediate concerns but also foster sustainable agricultural practices and economic stability among farmers in Jammu and Kashmir.

Source: The Hindu

(Expert Note: This report was independently prepared by the Wealthova Economy team.)