09/12/2025
Jammu and Kashmir Apple Farmers Federation
Zahoor Ahmad Rather, President
Zahoor Rather urges priority passage for fruit trucks on NH-44
Srinagar, September 12:
Zahoor Ahmad Rather, President of the Jammu and Kashmir Apple Farmers Federation, has expressed deep anguish over the continuous halting of fruit-laden trucks on the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway (NH-44). He urged the administration to prioritise the movement of these vehicles to prevent irreparable damage to Kashmir’s horticulture sector.
He said that while passenger and other vehicular traffic from the Jammu side is being allowed, fruit trucks remain stranded for days, resulting in the rotting of produce worth crores of rupees.
“The fruit industry is the backbone of Jammu and Kashmir’s rural economy and sustains lakhs of families across the Valley. This callous attitude towards growers is unacceptable. At a time when farmers are already grappling with rising input costs, market volatility, and natural challenges, such arbitrary stoppages will push them to the wall,” Rather remarked.
He further emphasized that the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway is the Valley’s only all-weather surface link with the rest of the country, and any blockade paralyses the movement of goods. During the peak harvest season, thousands of trucks carry apples and other fruits daily to markets across India, where even short delays translate into catastrophic losses.
Truck drivers, who met Rather and shared their grievances, complained of deliberate halting of their vehicles at various places. He appealed to the administration to intervene urgently and issue clear directions to ensure unhindered passage of fruit-laden trucks.
