Kashmir’s fruit makes it way to market despite turmoil

Azhar Qadri

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, October 5

Even as unrest marked by uninterrupted shutdowns continues to paralyse the region, Kashmir’s horticulture sector is back on rails with fruits heading out to markets across the country.

Nearly 1,000 truckloads of fruits produced from the Valley’s orchards are making their way to markets outside the state daily, officials said here.

Much of the production comes from districts of south and north Kashmir, where horticulture remains the main source of income for a large section of population.

According to official figures, more than 35,000 metric tonnes of fruits have been dispatched to markets outside the state between April to August this year.

During the first three weeks of August, 8,876 metric tonnes of fruits were dispatched to markets outside the state. The state horticulture had warned that any delay in transportation of fruit will adversely impact the state’s economy.

Horticulture is one of the core sectors of the state economy, and according to officials, contributes nearly Rs 5,000 crore annually.

A resident of south Kashmir’s Shopian district, which is one of the main apple growing area of the Valley, said many residents were now busy with harvesting season which had led to fewer protests in the district over the past few days.