Kashmir’s fruit markets shut down over prolonged highway closure

Fruit markets across the Kashmir Valley remained closed on Monday (September 15, 2025) to protest the government’s failure to reopen the 290-km Srinagar-Jammu National Highway even after two weeks of closure due to heavy rain. Facing a public outcry, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah blamed the Centre for the losses the apple industry continues to face in the Valley.

Hundreds of fruit growers took to the streets in Kashmir Valley and closed the markets operating in north, central and south Kashmir. “Our patience is running thin. Trucks laden with apple produce are rotting in front of our eyes. It’s not Nature’s fury but a man-made disaster. Rains have stopped but the officials have failed to reopen the highway even after 15 days of closure,” Fayaz Dar, an apple dealer in north Kashmir’s Sopore mandi, said.

According to the apple traders, the cost of an apple box has dropped from ₹600 to ₹400 due to failure to ferry them in time to markets across the country. “The government and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) should urgently ensure smooth passage for trucks and compensate farmers for the losses incurred,” Zahoor Ahmad Rather, senior member of the J&K Apple Farmers Federation, said. He also demanded a waiver of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loans for the farmers affected.

Fruit growers estimate the losses to be over ₹200 crore and fear that it may cross ₹600 crore if the government fails to intervene. Anshul Garg, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, said he is working on a plan to “facilitate the evacuation of stranded fruit-laden trucks through both the National Highway and the Mughal Road”. He has passed orders for a committee to assess the losses to the apple industry.

The recent move by the Railways Ministry to run parcel train coaches has failed to meet the demands of the apple traders. “Hundreds of metric tonnes of apples have been harvested in the past two weeks and await transportation. It’s denting the image and supply chain of apple produce. It will have a negative impact on J&K’s economy,” Rashid Khan, an apple trader from Pulwama, said.

Economy mainstay

According to the J&K Economic Survey 2023-24, the horticulture sector, with apple as its mainstay, contributes about 6-7% to the Gross State Domestic Product of J&K and employs 35 lakh people directly or indirectly.

“The new freight train service is a big step for the apple growers of the Union Territory to transport their produce to different parts of the country. This will provide a faster and more economical transportation mode, strengthen market linkages and bring improvement in the lives and livelihoods of farmers,” said J&K Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha, as he flagged off a parcel train from Budgam to Adarsh Nagar Delhi on Monday (September 15, 2025).

Mr. Sinha said the disruption of movement at national highways, due to topography and heavy rains, has impacted fruit growers. “The freight train service starting from today will transport apples and other perishable goods every day,” he added.

The parcel train service will be operational on all days and is suitable for all parcel commodities. The eight-parcel-van coach train has a total weight capacity of around 180 tonnes (23 tonnes per coach).

With the parcel train service inadequate to deal with the crisis of farmers, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah blamed the Centre for failing to open the Srinagar-Jammu highway, key to ferry essentials into the Valley and export fruits.

“The highway comes under the jurisdiction of the Central government and agencies working under it. If they cannot handle it, then let them hand it over to us. We have engineers and staff who can restore the road. If this highway was under my administration, we would have already worked out a solution,” Mr. Abdullah said.

Mr. Abdullah said he was in touch with the Centre “but assurances about reopening the road had not been fulfilled”.

Mr. Abdullah added that he had spoken to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari late Monday evening. “The frustration of fruit growers is understandable. They have been very patient for the first few days but in watching their hard work rot because the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) is unable to stabilise the highway, their patience has worn thin and that is totally understandable. Some concrete steps will be taken within the next 24 hours to address this problem but I will wait for that to happen before I say any more about the proposed plan of action,” Mr. Abdullah said.

The Chief Minister’s statement came amid criticism from the Opposition parties in J&K. “If the National Conference (NC) government continues to show apathy to the concerns of apple growers, it indicates they are in touch with private companies seeking to take over the apple industry,” Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti said.

“The PDP will always stand with fruit growers. Tourism and horticulture form the backbone of Kashmir’s economy. Due to the Pahalgam attack, tourism got fractured and now horticulture is suffering as fruit growers are facing loss of crores of rupees. What stops CM Omar Abdullah from holding meetings with Roads & Buildings departments and Border Roads Organisation,” Ms. Mufti said.

Sajad Lone, J&K Peoples Conference leader and MLA of Handwara, said, “There must be some remedial measures. Inclement weather is not the fault of the government. But sitting like a mute spectator and doing nothing is criminal. My humble advice to CM sahib: stop wandering aimlessly across the country. Sit with your officers and stakeholders and work out a strategy.”

Meanwhile, Minister for Agriculture Production Javid Ahmad Dar on Monday surveyed the National Highway and urged the J&K L-G “to ensure one-way movement for stranded apple trucks over the next two days”.