Kashmir’s Apple Industry Suffers Crushing Blow Amid Highway Closures

Kashmir’s apple industry, often described as the backbone of the Valley’s economy, is reeling under one of its worst crises in recent years. The prolonged closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway has not only halted the movement of fruit trucks but has also sparked distress across orchards, mandis, and markets. For growers and traders, the situation is more than an economic loss — it is a question of survival.

On Monday, Agriculture and Horticulture Minister Javaid Dar, accompanied by officials and MLAs from Anantnag, visited Qazigund’s Alstop to take stock of the situation. There, he met with truck drivers stranded for days, local officials, and fruit growers whose livelihoods now hang in the balance. “The government belongs to the people. We will ensure highway restoration at the earliest,” Dar assured.

But on the ground, the mood was grim. Rows of apple-loaded trucks, estimated between 5,000 to 6,000, stood idle, their precious cargo slowly rotting. Many drivers said they had been waiting for more than 12 days, forced to watch helplessly as the Valley’s prized produce spoiled in the heat.

₹600 Crore in Losses, and Counting

According to early estimates, the apple industry has already suffered damages of nearly ₹600 crore. Dar admitted that the crisis could worsen if urgent measures were not taken. “We already lost the tourism economy this year after the Pahalgam incident. Now the only backbone of Kashmir’s economy, the apple industry, is collapsing due to road connectivity,” he said.

The closure follows recent floods that damaged stretches of the highway, particularly in Ramban and Banihal. While restoration work has been ongoing, progress has been painfully slow. The Minister visited both areas on Monday to personally review the work. He also pledged to visit major fruit mandis and engage with traders directly.

Mandis Shut in Protest

In south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, the Jablipora Fruit Mandi in Bijbihara remained shut on Monday. The closure was part of a Valley-wide two-day protest called by fruit traders. Anger was palpable as growers brought back truckloads of rotten fruit from Qazigund, forced to unload the produce in local mandis.

A spokesperson for Jablipora mandi voiced the collective frustration of growers. “Twice now, apple-laden vehicles have been turned back. The fruit has rotted, the losses are unbearable. In Jammu, the army restored a broken bridge in 24 hours. Why can’t the same urgency be shown for the Srinagar-Jammu highway? If the government cannot restore the road, hand it over to the army,” he said.

A Double Blow to the Economy

The crisis comes on the heels of the Pahalgam incident, which dealt a severe blow to Kashmir’s tourism sector earlier this year. With tourism revenues dwindling, apple cultivation remains the only dependable source of income for thousands of families. The Valley produces over 2 million tonnes of apples annually, most of which are transported outside through the Srinagar-Jammu highway.

For growers like Ghulam Mohammad of Anantnag, the losses are heartbreaking. “We worked all year, spent money on fertilizers, labor, packaging and now everything is rotting on the road. Who will compensate us? We have loans to repay, families to feed. This is not just about apples, this is about our lives,” he said.

A Plea for Urgency

Experts warn that unless the highway is restored swiftly, the damage could run into thousands of crores, with ripple effects across allied industries like packaging, transport, and wholesale trade. More importantly, it risks shattering the faith of growers who already operate in difficult conditions.

Minister Dar acknowledged the gravity of the crisis but reiterated the government’s commitment. “We understand the distress. Every effort is being made to restore connectivity and minimize further losses. The apple industry is not just an economic sector it is the lifeline of Kashmir,” he said.

Meanwhile, in the mandis and orchards, hope runs thin. As the Valley waits for the highway to reopen, growers and traders continue to count their losses, fearing that another year’s hard work may already have gone to waste.