The Jammu and Kashmir Apple Farmers Federation has raised concerns over traffic restrictions affecting fruit transport on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway. Trucks carrying apples, pears, and other fruits from Kashmir are being stopped, while vehicles from Jammu are allowed to move freely, the Federation said on September 23.
Federation President Zahoor Ahmad Rather stated that hundreds of trucks remain stranded during the harvest season, leading to spoilage and losses worth crores of rupees (millions of US dollars). He added that the disruption is threatening the livelihoods of lakhs of families who depend on the timely delivery of produce.
The Federation has called for an immediate end to what it described as discriminatory practices, priority clearance for perishable fruit consignments, compensation for affected growers, and measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. "Lakhs of hardworking growers are losing their year's produce due to indifference and discrimination. Urgent intervention from authorities is needed," Rather said.
Source: Kashmir News Service