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The apple picking season in Kashmir is both a promise and a challenge. The valley yields close to 20 lakh metric tonnes of apples annually, which supply to markets all over India. But the growers and traders have been languishing for decades due to the dismal transport system. Trucks are stuck on the Srinagar-Jammu highway for days. Perishable inventory goes to rot. Losses mount to hundreds of crores.
The new Baramulla to Delhi parcel train can alter this narrative. Apple traders will receive for the first time a direct, quick, and reliable outlet to access the nation’s largest market. This is not merely an infrastructural enhancement. This is a intervention that reaches the livelihoods of lakhs of families.
Apples are the mainstay of Kashmir’s horticulture industry. Directly and indirectly, it supports around 3.5 million people. Farmers toil for months and months to grow and harvest every year. But once the crop arrives at trucks, its destiny is in the hands of the congested Srinagar-Jammu highway. Landslides, snows, and traffic blockades result in consignments getting stuck in Delhi for days.
The losses are humongous. Trade bodies peg the losses at more than Rs 1,000 crore in just two weeks of road closure in this September. When the trucks arrived in Delhi, a lot of the produce was spoiled. Farmers came back with debt, not profits.
A specialized parcel train solves the core issue. Rail transport is quicker, more secure, and unaffected by road blockades. A piece of fruit dispatched from Sopore or Baramulla today can be delivered to Delhi mandis in under two days. Such predictability is what the industry has been begging for.
The effect of this train will cascade throughout the region. Farmers will command improved prices since their produce will reach them punctually and in good condition. Merchants in Delhi and other markets will receive a consistent supply without the intervening gaps occasioned by the blocking of highways. Consumers will enjoy stable prices and fresh produce.
For the state, the benefits are equally apparent. More income for farmers translates into greater tax revenue and a healthier rural economy. The success of this service can also prompt other Kashmir perishables, including cherries and pears, to depend more on the rail.
But a train service by itself will not do it. There should be adequate rakes in the peak season by Railways. Cold storage wagons should be put on the tracks so that apples are kept in good condition over long distances. Facilities for handling at Baramulla, Sopore, and other loading stations must be improved. Otherwise, the gain will be only half.
There is also the issue of cost. If the freight charges are not competitive, farmers might still prefer trucks even at the risk. The government will have to weigh a subsidy or a dynamic pricing mechanism during the harvest seasons. It will guarantee optimum utilization of the new service and avoid wastage of infrastructure.
Another requirement is coordination. Uninterrupted movement will require close planning among the Horticulture Department, Railways, and trade associations. A specialized task force can oversee day-to-day operations and correct problems in real time. Without these arrangements, the service is likely to be delayed and inefficient, which growers cannot afford.
The parcel train is a positive beginning, but the vision has to be bigger. Kashmir requires an entire logistics system. That entails pack houses in mandis, grading machines for standardizing quality, cold chain spaces for storage, and digital platforms linking growers to consumers directly. With them, the train will not only transport apples, it will propel the entire horticulture industry into a contemporary supply chain.
This is where policymakers need to concentrate. The infrastructure must not be patchy. The intention has to be to build a continuous corridor from the orchard in Baramulla to the consumer in Delhi. Each break in the chain undermines the grower’s revenues.
Kashmiri farmers have been promised improved facilities for decades. All too often, announcements have remained on paper. This new parcel train is different because it is material. A rake that is parked in Baramulla is evidence of intention. But intention has to be followed by efficiency. If the train service performs well during this harvesting season, then it will do something to restore confidence in the system.
For apple farmers who have suffered successive losses, this is a moment of guarded optimism. Their plea has been basic: allow our crops to reach the marketplace in time. If this train is the answer to their plea, then it can signal a new page in Kashmir’s horticulture.
The state and central governments now have to be careful not to get complacent. Relief has arrived, but only sustained scrutiny will translate relief into reform.
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