Repeated closures of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway are leaving hundreds of fruit-laden trucks stranded along the route and Kashmir apple growers counting heavy losses, according to a report by The Hindu BusinessLine.
Highway closures strand fruit trucks
The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway is the Valley's key arterial link with the rest of India, and during the ongoing apple season, landslides and road works have forced repeated closures, The Hindu BusinessLine reported. Bashir Ahmad Basheer, chairman of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers-cum-Dealers Union, said a truck carrying apples normally takes 15 to 18 hours to reach Azadpur Mandi in Delhi. When the highway is closed, the journey can sometimes stretch into weeks.
"Due to the prolonged closure, more than half of the fruit rots inside the trucks," Basheer said.
Basheer added that the highway remained closed three to four times over the last few weeks due to incessant rains, leaving trucks carrying highly perishable fruits such as pears and plums stranded. Official data cited by the report shows the road remained closed for 284 days between 2018 and 2024.
Losses mount, but no estimate yet
Although farmers have not yet calculated the losses for this season, The Hindu BusinessLine reported that last year the industry estimated losses between ₹1,500 and ₹2,000. A government-commissioned study conducted by NABARD Consultancy Services (NABCONS) for 2020-22, tabled recently in the Lok Sabha, estimated that 9.51 per cent of Jammu and Kashmir's apple production is lost after harvest, underscoring the challenges in storing and transporting the perishable crop.
Alternatives fall short of demand
According to farmers quoted in the report, there is still no reliable alternative to the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. The historic Mughal Road, which connects Kashmir with Jammu through Poonch, has provided little relief because 12-tyre trucks carrying apples and other fruits are not allowed to ply on it due to sharp curves and difficult terrain.
Tariq Ahmad, an apple grower, noted that Indian Railways introduced parcel trains last year, providing some relief, but more such services are needed between August and November when the apple harvest is at its peak. Ahmad added that cargo trains will not serve farmers effectively unless railway authorities establish dedicated loading facilities at Sopore, Anantnag, Pampore and Shopian.
Cold storage expansion under way
Officials said the government is augmenting Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage capacity to reduce post-harvest losses. The Valley currently has a CA storage capacity of around 2.92 lakh metric tonnes (292,000 metric tonnes), while an additional 30 chambers are expected to be added soon, according to The Hindu BusinessLine.
Key figures at a glance
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Normal transit time, Kashmir to Delhi | 15–18 hours |
| Transit time when highway closed | Can stretch into weeks |
| Days highway closed (2018–2024) | 284 |
| Post-harvest loss share (NABCONS study, 2020-22) | 9.51% |
| Current CA storage capacity | ~2.92 lakh metric tonnes |
| Expected additional CA chambers | 30 |
What logistics operators should watch
For freight forwarders and perishable-goods shippers moving apples and other fruit out of Kashmir, the road closure pattern during the August–November harvest window turns every monsoon rainfall into a supply-chain risk. The limited capacity of parcel trains and the absence of dedicated loading infrastructure at key producing towns mean road transport will remain the primary mode for most fruit shipments, despite the closure risk. Expansion of CA storage could ease post-harvest pressure, but the additional 30 chambers are not yet operational.
Watch list
- Monsoon-driven landslides on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, which caused three to four closures in recent weeks.
- Indian Railways' parcel train services between August and November, and whether new loading facilities at Sopore, Anantnag, Pampore and Shopian are approved.
- The 30 new CA storage chambers, expected to come online soon, and their impact on reducing the 9.51% post-harvest loss.
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