Unregulated traffic along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway has resulted in huge losses for apple farmers in the valley, said a complaint by the Apple Farmers’ Federation of India (AFFI) to Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha. About 5,000 trucks with apples to various markets in the country are stuck in the highway and farmers fear that it could add not just to their losses, but would impact small and medium traders too.
Talking to The Hindu, AFFI leader from Jammu and Kashmir Abdul Rashid said each of the 5,000 trucks carries about 1,200 boxes of 20 kg of apple; that is, each truck has about 20 tonnes of apple. . Though the administration has told the farmers that the traffic restrictions are because of highway construction work and transferred a senior police officer after complaint, they are not regulating the traffic, Rashid said and added, “If all trucks reach at the same time in a market, the price of apple will fall. Now, apple is perishing in markets in Kashmir, in trucks and at orchards,” he added.
