Srinagar: As the apple-laden trucks continues to remain stranded on the Jammu-Srinagar highway, the backbone of Kashmir’s economy-the apple industry- has entered in its fourth year of collapsing brunt and losses with many growers calling it a death to the major economy of Kashmir.
In 2019, the autonomous-status, Article 370 was abrogated which followed a clampdown and communication blockade for a year also the snow calamity also stirred up the 2019 nightmare.
In 2020, Covid19- lockdown followed the pace and curbed the transportation of apples outside valley and untimely snowfall in the month of October in 2021 rotted the apples while being un-plucked from the branches.
This year too, growers say-the apple industry is struggling for the smooth transportation of Kashmiri apples outside valley, the halting of apple laden trucks on NH-44 spoils the fruit and suffers loss in the Indian market.
Earlier, growers held protest against importing Iranain apples which they say has also affected Kashmiri apple purchase.
Protest against halting apple-laden trucks on the NH-44 started on 14 September with growing alleging that they don’t understand the reason behind what they called ‘deliberate attempt to ruin apple production.’
Notably on Monday, the IGP Traffic chaired a meeting and directed all SSPs of traffic including SSP National Highway to take immediate necessary measures so that fruit laden trucks are provided a smooth passage and are not stranded.
He also asked trucks to paste apple stickers on window panes for easy identification so that they would be released on priority.
However, Kashmir growers say the government has failed to implement those strategies on the ground as around 8,000 fruit laden trucks are waiting for their turn to move towards Jammu and it is not possible that they will cross the road in just three hours.
Nisar Ahmad, a fruit grower from south Kashmir said that directions passed by the government have been thrown to the wind as the government has failed to implement its own order on the ground.
“Fruit-laden trucks are being halted at Qazigund for around week after that they get a turn to move towards Jammu,” he said.
He said that this industry is crumbling due to low rates and other challenges and if the government won’t ensure the hassle-free movement of the apple-laden trucks, this industry will definitely collapse.”
Muhammad Abbas, another grower said that this industry is facing several challenges at a time and government must at least ensure hassle movement of the apple-laden vehicles so that produce will reach markets on time and it will fetch a good rate.
He said that despite recent government vehicles get their turn after 4-5 days to move towards Jammu and when produce reaches to market very late, it didn’t gets the rate that it would get if it reaches market on time.
President Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union (KVFGCDU) Bashir Ahmad said that they were hopeful that government will take this issue seriously and implement directions on ground but that didn’t happen and they are unable to understand what government wants.
He said that it is matter of livelihood of around 60-70 percent of population of Kashmir and government must take it seriously.
He said that around 8,000 fruit laden trucks are waiting for their turn to move towards Jammu and it is not possible that they will cross the road in just three hours.
Ahmed said that representatives of all fruit growers Association protest in Srinagar today but despite protests nothing happened.
“In protest, we have decided to shut all our Mandi’s for two days (tomorrow and day after tomorrow) so that government can take this issue seriously and implement orders on ground,” he said.
Kashmir produces around 15,26,274 metric tonnes of apples per year. Around seven lakh farming families (approximately 35 lakh people) are directly or indirectly associated with the sector.
Apples contribute to around 8% of Jammu and Kashmir’s gross domestic product.
(With KNO Inputs)