The outrage over hurdles in transportation of apple from Kashmir Valley to different fruit markets of the country is not dying down even after the attachment of SP Traffic Police (Jammu-Srinagar highway) and the reasons though not cited are obviously clear. Putting a schedule for movement of apple truckloads in public domain much before the start of the harvest season would have smoothened the transportation of apple from different parts of Kashmir valley to several fruit markets of the country. Unfortunately never ever have the government or the apple growers thought about announcement of a schedule for movement of apple truckloads much before the start of apple harvesting season. Consequently the onus for present hurdles in the movement of apple truckloads from Kashmir to different fruit markets of the country lies equally on both the apple growers and as well as traffic police (Jammu-Srinagar highway). In view of the decades old experiences of frequent traffic disruptions on Jammu-Srinagar highway there is nothing new in it that the transportation of apple truckloads from Srinagar to Jammu is completed in not less than three days and henceforth apple getting rotten in the process of transportation is also not a new experience. Though it is the duty of traffic police on Srinagar-Jammu highway to fast pace the movement of trucks carrying perishable fruit from Srinagar to Jammu but it is also an equally irrefutable fact that inclement weather forcing closure of Srinagar-Jammu highway for days together consequently puts traffic police on J&K highway in a state of helplessness. Since weather is hugely responsible for the stranding of apple trucks during the process of transportation from Srinagar to Jammu, the two options left for the government is to incentivise the apple industry and fix a schedule for movement of apple truckload from Srinagar to Jammu in view of the central role of apple industry in the economic stability of Jammu & Kashmir.
It is for the Government to devise ways and means of incentivising “ A” and “B” grade apple the way it has incentivised “ C” grade apple in furtherance of the causes of the stability of apple industry in Jammu & Kashmir. Administrative wisdom demands that an expert committee is constituted for devising the ways and means of incentivising “ A” and “B” grade apple in pursuit of a lasting solution to the stability of apple industry of Jammu & Kashmir.
While Horticulture Department of Jammu & Kashmir Government is pursuing market intervention scheme (MIS) for “C” grade apple it does not come up with any such market intervention scheme (MIS) for “A” and “B” grade apple transported to different fruit markets of the country. One major incentive that the J&K Government can execute could be the utilisation of J&K RTC truck fleets for transportation of apple at reduced transportation charges to prevent exploitation of apple growers by the private transporters and another such measure could be subsidisation of the transportation charges for the delivery of apple truckloads at country’s leading fruit markets. It is for the Government to devise ways and means of incentivising “ A” and “B” grade apple the way it has incentivised “ C” grade apple in furtherance of the causes of the stability of apple industry in Jammu & Kashmir. Administrative wisdom demands that an expert committee is constituted for devising the ways and means of incentivising “ A” and “B” grade apple in pursuit of a lasting solution to the stability of apple industry of Jammu & Kashmir.
