Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, July 1: The Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers and Dealers Union has expressed its worry over stopping the fresh fruit-laden trucks on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.
In a statement issued here, Bashir Ahmad Basheer, president of the Union said that the trucks are made to halt for days together on the highway, as a result, he said, the consignment of fresh fruits get fully damaged.
“Since the harvesting of plum, peach, pear and early varieties of apple are nowadays in full swing and these varieties are treated acutely, perishable, thus need immediate and quick transportation to various destinations outside J&K (UT),” he said.
The KVFG said that the Valley based fruit growers/ dealers have already suffered heavy losses in the last several years due to natural calamity and continued blockage of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway and that the Union repeatedly took up the matter with all the concerned authorities well in advance urging them to allow uninterrupted movement of fruit-laden trucks on Srinagar-Jammu National Highway for the safe arrival of fresh fruits to various destinations outside J&K.
“It is unfortunate that despite assurances from concerned authorities, there have been no change on the ground while the fresh fruits in hundreds of trucks are getting completely damaged causing us heavy losses,” the president of the Union said.
KVFG said that since the Horticulture Industry is treated as the backbone of J&K’s economy, the livelihood of 70% of households is directly or indirectly linked with the Industry.
“To save the livelihood of all these households, the Lt Governor Manoj Sinha must take immediate steps,” he added.
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