Apple harvest season hit by steep freight rate, growers seek govt intervention
Srinagar, Sep 9: The 270-km Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, the main lifeline of Kashmir, remained closed for the ninth straight day on Tuesday, with work continuing on a 250-metre stretch badly damaged in Udhampur district.
The prolonged closure has forced apple growers in south and north Kashmir to ferry their produce via the longer Mughal Road, incurring heavy transport costs.
The highway has faced repeated blockades since August 26 due to torrential rains, flash floods, and landslides, and was reopened only briefly on August 30.
Officials said no traffic is being allowed between Jakheni (Udhampur) and Balli Nallah, where a massive landslide washed away portions of the road.
With the harvest season in full swing, apple growers are bearing the brunt of the disruption.
With the harvest season at its peak, transport costs have doubled. Truckers are charging ₹170–200 per box from Sopore fruit mandi and ₹150 from Srinagar mandi, compared to ₹70–80 earlier via the highway.
“These rates are crushing us. Small farmers like me can hardly make a profit,” said Bashir Ahmad, an orchardist from Shopian.
Another farmer, Abdul Rashid, a grower from Baramulla, said, “Every extra rupee we pay on freight comes directly from our pocket. We are not sure how long we can sustain this.”
“If the highway does not reopen soon, apples will rot in godowns. The longer the delay, the more losses for farmers and traders alike,” he added.
The steep freight increase is also affecting logistics companies, with fewer trucks willing to make the longer journey through the Mughal Road.
“The route is difficult and costly. We are forced to adjust rates, but even then, supply is limited,” said Mohammad Shafi, owner of Raja Transport Company.
Meanwhile, NHAI teams are working round the clock to rebuild the washed-away stretch in Udhampur. Officials said six massive boulders were blasted on Monday and three more were removed, but the terrain remains extremely challenging.
Meanwhile, the Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri road connecting J&K with Ladakh and the Batote-Doda-Kishtwar road remain closed due to landslides, while the Mughal Road linking Poonch in Jammu with Shopian in Kashmir is the only functional inter-regional route.
Over 4,000 vehicles are stranded at various points across Jammu, Udhampur, Ramban, the Valley, and Punjab.
Officials estimate that recent floods and landslides have damaged nearly 12,000 km of road length in the Union Territory.
