1,200 Cr Blow to Kashmir’s Apple Industry as Highway Closure Stalls Fruit Supply

Shahid Rasool | Daily Maqsad

Srinagar, Sept 16: The backbone of Kashmir’s economy — the apple industry — is reeling under severe distress after the recent closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway (NH-44) due to landslides, cloudbursts, and heavy rainfall. The prolonged blockade has left more than 4000 fruit-laden trucks stranded en route to Jammu and other states, resulting in estimated losses of over ₹1,200 crore.

The impact has been particularly devastating on Asia’s second-largest fruit mandi in Sopore and the Parimpora fruit mandi in Srinagar, both of which have virtually come to a standstill. With trucks unable to move, thousands of tonnes of perishable fruit have started rotting, leaving growers in despair.

Emotional scenes have been reported across north, south, and central Kashmir, as distressed farmers face mounting losses. In Ganderbal’s Lar area, fruit growers Gh. Nabi and Zahoor Ahmad shared their ordeal with Daily Maqsad.

“We are on the verge of suicide. We took loans from banks hoping to repay them this season, but half of it will now remain unpaid. We sent apple boxes for sale, but after a week, we received calls saying our goods were destroyed. The highway closure has ruined us,” they said with tears in their eyes.

Growers argue that the crisis has no alternative solutions. With external markets cut off, farmers are being forced to sell their produce locally. However, the supply has far exceeded demand, leading to a drastic fall in prices. Currently, Grade-A apples are selling at just ₹40–60 per kg, while production costs — including pesticides, fertilizers, and care — are estimated at over ₹50 per kg.

Experts warn that if the situation continues, the losses could cripple Kashmir’s fruit economy, which sustains lakhs of families and contributes significantly to the region’s GDP. Stakeholders are demanding immediate government intervention, including compensation for losses and measures to ensure the smooth passage of fruit trucks on the highway.

For now, the growers of Kashmir continue to battle both financial collapse and emotional devastation, uncertain about how to survive the season ahead. _DM