Govt Steps In to Save Kashmir’s Apple Harvest: Extra Trains, Added Bogies Ensure Smooth Market Supply

 

Tariq Bhat 

Srinagar Sept 21:

 

 

In a major relief for Kashmir’s fruit industry, the government has stepped up transport facilities for apple traders by pressing additional apple-special trains and bogies into service. The move comes as road blockages and restricted vehicular movement raised fears that the Valley’s prime produce might rot before reaching markets outside.

 

 

Between September 11 and 21, railway stations at Budgam, Anantnag, and Baramulla collectively dispatched 542,699 apple boxes to Delhi and Jammu markets. Alongside apples, consignments of walnuts and pears were also shipped.

 

 

 

From Budgam station, 8 apple-special trains carried 94,388 boxes, along with walnut bags and walnut giri boxes.Anantnag station recorded the largest load, with 10 trains ferrying a massive 430,013 apple boxes.

From Baramulla station, a consignment of 18,298 boxes, including 200 pear boxes, reached Delhi on September 21.

Officials confirmed that additional bogies were attached to the trains to handle the increased load, ensuring that growers and traders did not suffer losses.

Fruit traders and federation members have hailed the government’s timely intervention.

“This is a lifeline for us. Apples are the backbone of our economy, and with road transport affected, these train services have come as a blessing. The additional bogies have eased our worries,” said a member of the Sopore Traders Federation.

“By ensuring that our produce reaches Delhi markets on time, the government has prevented huge losses to orchardists and traders. This step shows commitment to safeguarding Kashmir’s horticulture sector,” added another federation leader.

Horticulture is the backbone of Kashmir’s economy, and apples account for nearly 8% of the region’s GDP. Timely transportation is critical to preserve fruit quality and secure better market rates.

 

 

With the harvest season in full swing, traders are hopeful that these measures will continue until the end of the apple season, ensuring uninterrupted supply to national markets.