How Kashmir apple has taken a hit again
Prolonged closure of Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in peak season & extreme weather events are impacting the backbone of Valley’s economy
Updated At : 06:06 AM Sep 21, 2025 IST
Rotten apples are thrown out of crates as closure of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway led to trucks being stranded for nearly two weeks. Reuters
IN the autumn of 2022, when apple growers in Kashmir began to harvest their produce, trucks carrying the fruit were stranded on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, the only all-weather road link to the rest of India. As anger grew against the UT administration, headed by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, and politicians reacted sharply, a strike was observed in the mandis against the slow movement of trucks. The situation was brought under control within days, but growers reported a loss of around Rs 500 crore. Three years later, the Kashmir apple industry is witnessing a similar situation.
