8,000 Stranded Trucks Carrying Apples Cleared From Kashmir Highway

Over 10,000 trucks halted on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway have been released, officials said. Most of the trucks were carrying apple. The inordinate delay in transportation of fresh fruit is causing massive loses to the growers in Kashmir.

Traffic authorities say shooting stones on the highway and nomadic herds are impeding traffic movement.

On an average a truck carries apple boxes worth Rs 8 lakh. Halting such a large number of trucks for days on end means apple worth hundreds of crore is literally left to rot.

"Over 10000 HMVs including 8,820 fruit laden trucks released through Navyug and Jawahar Tunnels during the past 24 hours. Chief Secretary compliments all functionaries and asks them to keep up momentum" tweeted J&K information department.

Fruit growers in Kashmir send around 1,100 apple trucks daily to Mandis across the country. Releasing 8,820 apple-laden trucks means that the trucks may have been stuck for more than one week.

During his recent visit, Union Home Minister Amit Shah asked officials to ensure smooth transportation of apple after he met fruit-growers in Srinagar.

Bashir Ahmad, President, fruit growers' association said they told the Home Minister that halting of fruit-laden trucks along the highway had led to the loss of approximately Rs 1,500 crore.

"Home Minister issued immediate directions to the authorities to update him about the issue" said Mr Ahmad.

Following the Home Minister's visit, top officials led by J&K Chief Secretary visited NH44 on Friday to find out the reasons behind halting thousands of trucks, particularly apple trucks on the highway.

Ten days ago, J&K administration shunted out SSP traffic Highway after outrage over halting apple trucks, which had caused massive losses to apple growers.

The traffic department is putting out series of tweets showing shooting stones and nomadic herds disrupting traffic along the highway.

But apple growers say inordinate delay in reaching perishable fruit to mandis has cost them heavily. The problem started last month when apple growers said their fruit was rotting on the road due to a mess created on the highway.

Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had alleged that stopping apple trucks is a "deliberate attempt to destroy apple industry and push people of Kashmir into penury".

After outrage, Traffic Police said they were not stopping trucks for more than two days and threatened to take strict action against those spreading false information on movement of apple trucks.

Apple is the mainstay of Kashmir's economy. The Valley produces over 22 lakh metric tons of apple, which is more than 70 per cent of the total apple production in the country.

Kashmir's apple is already facing threat due to the Iranian apple invasion into the Indian market. Hurdles in transportation now pose a serious challenge to the growers.