The Biz Reporter
Srinagar, Sept 11: Jammu and Kashmir’s Horticulture Minister Javed Ahmad Dar has acknowledged that Kashmir’s fruit sector, especially apple growers, has suffered heavy losses due to the prolonged closure of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway during the peak harvest season.
While growers and traders estimate losses between ₹400–600 crore, the Minister said it was “premature” to put an exact figure. “There is no doubt that the horticulture sector has borne the brunt of the highway blockade. Fruit-laden trucks remained stranded for days. But at this stage, it will be premature to declare whether the losses are 400 crore or 600 crore. It could be more or less. We will sit down, assess the situation comprehensively, and only then will we know the actual figure,” he told Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).
The Jammu-Srinagar highway, Kashmir’s only all-weather road link with the rest of the country, was shut for more than two weeks following torrential rains, flash floods, and landslides. The disruption crippled fruit transportation, with many apple consignments reportedly rotting en route.
The Minister said the Chief Minister is in “constant touch with the Centre” to secure comprehensive relief for calamity-hit Jammu and Kashmir. “Whether the losses are in horticulture, housing, infrastructure, or the lives tragically lost, our effort is to secure relief for everyone affected,” he said.
To provide immediate respite, the Union Railway Ministry has announced two special parcel vans to transport Kashmiri apples from the Valley to Jammu and Delhi. “This will ease the pressure on growers and traders while the highway is being restored,” the Minister added.
Expressing anguish, he said: “This natural calamity has destroyed roads, houses, and lives. I personally feel bad for the people who have suffered. When nature strikes, everyone bears the brunt—even the government. But the government exists for the people, and we are doing everything possible to ease their suffering.”
The Minister also praised road-clearing agencies for their tireless efforts and expressed confidence that normal traffic movement would be restored soon.
