In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the fruit growers have said that they continue to face losses as the authorities have failed to ensure hassle-free movement of apple-laden trucks on Srinagar-Jammu highway. According to Kashmir Media Service, 8,000 fruit laden trucks are waiting for their turn to move towards Jammu.
Nisar Ahmad, a fruit grower from south Kashmir, told the media that directives passed by the authorities have been thrown to the wind. “Fruit-laden trucks are being halted at Qazigund for around a week after that they get a turn to move towards Jammu,” he said.
He said that this industry is crumbling due to low rates and other challenges and if the government won’t ensure the hassle-free movement of the apple-laden trucks, this industry will definitely collapse.”
Muhammad Abbas, another grower, said this industry is facing several
challenges at a time and the authorities must at least ensure hassle movement of the apple-laden vehicles so that produce will reach markets on time and it will fetch a good rate.
President of Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers Cum Dealers Union (KVFGCDU) Bashir Ahmad told media that they were hopeful that the authorities would take this issue seriously and implement orders on ground but that didn’t happen and they are unable to understand what the authorities want.
He said it is a matter of livelihood for around 60-70 percent of the population of Kashmir and the authorities must take it seriously. He said that representatives of all fruit growers associations protested in Srinagar but despite protests nothing happened.—NNI
