Srinagar, Sep 17 (KNO): With the frequent closure of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway leaving fruit growers in a state of despair, an unusual scene is unfolding: dumpers, usually meant for construction material, are now being used to transport apple boxes to outside markets.
On Tuesday, fruit growers were seen loading dumpers with apples at the fruit mandi in Shopian to take their fruits to outside Kashmir markets.
Speaking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), growers said the decision comes in the backdrop of an acute shortage of transport vehicles.
With the authorities allowing only six-tyre trucks on the Mughal Road, the demand for vehicles has skyrocketed, pushing freight charges beyond the reach of many small farmers.
“At this critical time, we have no option left. Dumpers, which are generally used for sand and gravel, are now ferrying our fruit to Jammu. It is unsafe and unscientific, but we can’t afford to let the produce rot in orchards or mandis,” said Ghulam Nabi, an orchardist from Shopian.
Another grower, Bashir Ahmad from Pulwama, expressed anguish over the rising freight rates. “The transport shortage has become a nightmare. The rates have tripled, and we are being forced to pay whatever the transporters demand. If the government doesn’t intervene, we will face huge losses.”
Growers have urged the intervention of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to address the crisis on an urgent basis. They appealed for the immediate deployment of Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (RTC) trucks to ferry apple consignments.
“RTC vehicles can provide major relief to us. Their deployment will not only ease the pressure but also help put a cap on skyrocketing freight charges,” said Abdul Rashid, a trader at Fruit Mandi Shopian.
Fruit associations have also raised concerns about the safety of produce being loaded in dumpers. “Apples are delicate, and such rough transportation damages the boxes and reduces market value. The government must step in and provide a proper transport mechanism before it is too late,” said Farooq Ahmad, a member of the fruit association in south Kashmir.
With Kashmir’s horticulture sector reeling under the impact of prolonged highway closure, growers warn that if immediate steps are not taken, the Valley’s apple economy—supporting lakhs of families—will face devastating losses this season, and it has faced a loss of hundreds of crores—(KNO)