SHOPIAN: Apple farmers and traders here say problems for them have compounded manifold after government moved out all non-local truck drivers from the area.
The farmers in Shopian and adjoining areas were already complaining of inflated freight charges this year due to a host of problems created by the lockdown post abrogation of Article 370.
After attacks of non-local truck drivers and labourers in south Kashmir, authorities have apparently moved out all nonlocals from the area.
Farmers say they are left with hardly any means to transport the fruit to markets outside the state.
“They removed all non-local trucks from Shopian and the number of local trucks is not sufficient, hence creates lots of problem for the growers and traders,” Javid Ahmad Khan, a grower said.
They said that their fruit was rotting in orchards, courtyards and stores due to the lack of transport facilities in the district.
According to growers, local truckers were charging very high rates.
Farmers in Shopian said that all non-local truckers were removed even from the half a dozen ‘safe zones’ that the government had established earlier to facilitate the growers.
“We don’t know why government removed all the non-local truck drivers from Shopian.
There are no vehicles now to ferry apple and our fruit is rotting in orchards now,” said Juniad Ahmad, an apple grower from Imamsahib area.
Three non-local drivers and a trader was killed by unknown gunmen in the district in separate attacks in October while two others were seriously injured in the attacks. Four trucks were also torched in two separate incidents.
Police blames militants for the attacks and killings.
Locals said the freight charges were already inflated even when the non-local truck drivers were present in the area. The ferrying charges for apple boxes to Delhi had more than doubled compared to last year.
“The rates of apple in outside
markets are decreasing day by day but the ferrying charges imposed by local drivers are rising with every passing day. We don’t know what to do but these are the problems which government brought on us,” Javid Ahmad, a local trader said.
According to assessment by Horticulture officials, Kashmir had produced 23 lac tonnes of apple this year out of which Shopian produced around four lac metric tonnes.
Unlike other apple growing zones in Kashmir, Shopian in situated on a high attitude and surrounded with Pir Panjal forests.
The apple crop ripens later compared to the plains and according to growers, the “situation worsened” soon after the growers started to harvest the produce.
Most of the orchardists have taken loans and assistances from banks and financial institutions. Growers say they are apprehensive about repayments on loans as the market for apple is worsening day by day while the expenses are increasing.
Official data says that 95 per cent of population in Shopian is directly dependent on horticulture, especially apple farming.
Lockdown since August 5 and subsequent attacks on non-local traders have squeezed the channels of apple trade. One kilogram of fallen apple was sold at Rs 2.5 locally and many of the traders who sent fallen apples to outside markets sustained losses due to high ferrying costs and lower market rates.
The removal of non-locals from the district has also created new fears among people.
“Earlier in August non-local labourers and tourists were removed from Kashmir, now they removed truck drivers from here in the season when we have most need of these trucks,” Bashir Ahmad an orchardist said.
Another local said that Government of India has created noise about ‘benefits of abrogation of article 370 and 35 A’ but “here we are”.
Deputy Commissioner Shopian, Choudary Mohammad Yasin When asked about the removal of trucks from district refused to comment.
“I am not mandated to speak on this particular issue,” Yasin said.
He also refused to talk about arrangements of transport made for ferrying apple.

Raashid Hassan