Kashmir’s apple farmers face Rs 2,000 cr loss as NH-44 closure strands thousands of trucks

“I don’t even have money for poison to kill myself. All my harvested apples have rotted before reaching the markets after the NH-44 was shut,” said Ezaj Ahmed, apple farmer from Anantnag district of Kashmir. 

Kashmir’s apple farmers face potential losses of at least Rs 2,000 crore after recent torrential rains damaged the NH-44, disrupting the transport of thousands of tonnes of fresh apples and pears to markets across India and abroad.

Over 2,000 trucks carrying apples are stranded along the highway, some for nearly three weeks, causing massive spoilage and pushing growers into debt. While the NHAI partially restored the 300-metre stretch on NH-44 on Friday, traffic can move on only one lane, with only a few trucks able to ply on the highway.  

The NH 44 (Srinagar–Jammu National Highway) is the only national highway that connects Srinagar with Jammu and the rest of India. It passes through Pulwama, Anantnag, Kulgam, Ramban, Udhampur, and Jammu districts.

Earlier this week, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah urged the Union government to hand over control of NH-44 to Jammu and Kashmir’s elected government after the NHAI failed to restore the highway for heavy vehicles following a landslide in Udhampur on August 25.

On Tuesday, Union Road Minister Nitin Gadkari called an emergency meeting to review restoration work. After the meeting, some heavy fruit-laden trucks were allowed to move to other Indian states, as well as Bangladesh and Nepal.

However, the NHAI faces criticism for delaying repairs to a 300-metre stretch between Tharad and Balli Nallah in Udhampur. Officials said about 2,000 fruit-laden trucks were allowed to use the narrow Mughal Road, but restrictions on larger trucks, which can only use NH-44, left hundreds stranded in the valley.

Farmers in Sopore, Pulwama, Anantnag, Baramulla, Kupwara, and Bhagwanpora are severely affected by the highway blockage. 

Losses worth Rs 2,000 crore 

Apple farming is vital to Jammu & Kashmir, accounting for three-quarters of all apples produced in India. According to the 2025 Economic Survey of J&K, apples grow on 172,000 hectares – nearly half of the region’s horticulture land. The sector provides jobs, both direct and indirect, to about 3.3 million people – over 10 percent of the population, based on the 2011 census. It also contributes roughly 7 percent to the union territory’s GDP.

Mohammed Ashraf, president of the Fruit Association Shopian, said apple farmers this year stare at losses of around Rs 2,000 crore. He explained the damage to NH-44 coincides with ‘Harud’, Kashmir’s peak harvest season, when apples, walnuts, and rice are gathered from thousands of orchards and fields. 

Ashraf said, “In the valley, there are just about 70 cold storages. Around 60 are in Pulwama, 10 in Shopian, four in Sopore, and only one in Anantnag.” He believes the crisis could be avoided if the government built more cold storage facilities.

Bashir Ahmad Basheer, chairman of the Kashmir Valley Fruit Growers and Dealers Union, shared similar concerns and criticised government apathy towards apple farmers. “We are the fourth-largest economy in the world. We have high-tech technology, yet our government cannot repair a small portion of the highway,” he said. “It’s been more than 20 days since the closure. These fruits don’t have a long shelf life. I assume most of the fruit has rotted by now.”

Basheer explained, “This highway is the lifeline of the valley. During peak season, almost 1,200-1,500 trucks use this route daily. On average, each truck carries 1,000 boxes of apples (carats), weighing 7-10 kg each.” He estimates losses may have already crossed Rs 1,000 crore and are felt at every major fruit market in the valley.

Basheer added, “This year, first our tourism sector faced a major blow after the Pahalgam attack, and now our horticulture sector is doomed because of this closure.”

Bilal Ahmed, owner of Sahara Traders in Baramulla, said he suffers from sudden hikes in transportation costs. “Every season for Kashmir to Mumbai, I used to pay Rs 100 per box, but this season I am paying Rs 300. For Punjab, I used to pay Rs 40, now Rs 200; and for Kolkata, I used to pay Rs 150, now Rs 295. Not only a price hike, but truck drivers also demand 50 percent of the transportation cost in advance. Even after paying extra and giving advance, we struggle to find trucks because demand is very high.”

He added, “In every truck carrying 1,000 boxes, 300 to 400 boxes rot. Earlier, I got Rs 1,200 per box; now I get only Rs 500-600 because the apples aren’t fresh due to delays.”

Mohammad Lateef, a geotechnical engineer, told Newslaundry, “From Srinagar up to Banihal, the highway traverses mostly flat terrain with few mountain passes. Between Banihal and Ramban, it cuts through steep, unstable mountains with loose soils and exposed rocks. This stretch is the most hazard-prone, suffering frequent landslides and mudflows caused by heavy rainfall. From Ramban onward to Udhampur, road infrastructure has improved, with less frequent and severe slides. The road becomes four lanes approaching Jammu, allowing smoother travel.”

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