SRINAGAR: The Horticulture Planning & Marketing Department and railway authorities on Friday discussed modalities for transporting Kashmir’s apples to major markets across the country through the rail network.
The meeting, chaired by Director Horticulture Planning & Marketing Ghulam Jeelani Zargar, brought together railway officials and representatives of fruit and vegetable markets from across Kashmir.
The discussions focused on the feasibility of developing an efficient, economical and time-bound rail transportation mechanism for apples, particularly during the peak harvesting season.
Railway officials were headed by Chief Area Manager Kapil Sharma and ACM Jaswant Singh, while Bashir Ahmad Bashir, president of the All Valley Fruit Growers and Traders Association, raised issues and challenges faced by growers and traders in transporting apples by rail.
The meeting examined several operational aspects, including the availability and scheduling of railway services, loading and unloading facilities, transit time, handling of perishable fruit, packaging and other logistical requirements.
Officials also stressed the need for better coordination between the Horticulture Department, Railways, growers, traders and other stakeholders to make rail transportation more effective.
Zargar highlighted the importance of establishing a dedicated and well-coordinated railway transportation mechanism for Kashmir apples, saying improved rail connectivity could help reduce transportation costs and ensure faster movement of produce to major consumption centres across India.
Railway authorities assured the stakeholders that the concerns and requirements of the horticulture sector would be examined and appropriate modalities worked out in consultation with all concerned.
The initiative is part of efforts to strengthen post-harvest management and marketing infrastructure for Kashmir’s horticulture produce and improve market access and returns for apple growers.
