SRINAGAR: This is fate of irony that Kashmiri apple growers even after reopening of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway after a three-week closure brought relief to Kashmir’s apple growers and traders.
But the relief has dissipated as transporters doubled freight rates which are adding to losses of the growers.
Although the government has started deploying State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) trucks to stabilize the fare, farmers say their number is less to meet the demand.
Farmers and traders allege that the hike is nothing short of exploitation. “A truck from Kashmir to Delhi is now charging Rs 180-200 per apple box. This is not a hike but extortion of growers amid such a distressing situation. First, our apples rotted in stranded trucks on the highway. Now, the A-grade varieties like Kullu and Delicious are stuck in orchards because we can’t afford the fare,” Abdul Bari, an apple grower from Shopian, said while talking to media person.
The closure of the highway from August 26 due to landslides had left thousands of apple-laden trucks stranded, leaving apple rotting in transit. This closure led to shortage of trucks, which allowed transporters to arbitrarily double the fare.
“Just three days ago, the rate per box from Pulwama to Delhi touched Rs 230. Today it has come down to Rs 200-210 due to the deployment of RTC trucks. Around 15 RTC trucks are operating from our mandi, but the demand is far higher than the availability,” Javaid Ahmad, president of the Pulwama Fruit Mandi, told media.
The farmers are blaming the government for not notifying the fare ahead of the apple harvesting season. “No doubt, the three-week highway closure created scarcity which was exploited by transporters. But why did not the government notify fare rates before the harvesting season began. This is poor governance,” Zahoor Ahmad Rather, president of the Apple Farmers Federation, Kashmir, said.
The Jammu and Kashmir government after receiving complaints about exorbitant and unjustified fares ordered strict action against overcharging transporters and constituted special enforcement teams.
An officer from the Transport Department, Told media on the condition of anonymity revealed that the fare during this season should be between Rs 100 and 120 per box. “But because of truck scarcity, transporters exploited the situation. While enforcement action is necessary, the real stabilizing factor will be more arrival of trucks. If the highway remains open and more trucks arrive, competition will bring the rates down,” he said, admitting the lapse of the department in notifying the fare list.
Transport Minister Satish Sharma said that 157 SRTC trucks have been pressed into service to support traders and growers. “We are fully aware of the crisis faced by apple growers. To end the monopoly of private transporters, we diverted 18 and 10-ton trucks for apple transportation. The idea is to ensure that farmers are not left at the mercy of exploitative practices,” the minister added.
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