SRINAGAR: In a boost to the marketing of Kashmir’s seasonal fruit, the Jammu Division of Northern Railway has dispatched more than nine tonnes of fresh plums to Chennai and Kolkata through its parcel service over the past five days, officials said.
The dispatch follows the successful transportation of cherries and litchis and marks another step in the Railways’ initiative to connect fruit growers in Jammu and Kashmir with major markets across the country.
A railway spokesperson said the Jammu Division on Friday loaded and dispatched 284 packets, weighing around three tonnes, of fresh plums from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra railway station to Chennai.
Earlier, between June 22 and 25, about 587 packets of fresh plums, weighing approximately 6.1 tonnes, were transported from Jammu Tawi railway station to Kolkata through the parcel service, the spokesperson said.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Jammu Division, Uchit Singhal said the successful dispatch of plums from Katra and Jammu Tawi marked another milestone for the Railways.
“After cherry and litchi, the loading of plum proves that our efforts are directly connecting the farmers of Kashmir to major markets. Railways are ensuring quick booking, safe handling and time-bound delivery,” Singhal said.
He said the objective was to ensure that every seasonal fruit produced in Kashmir reaches markets across the country and urged traders and orchardists to make greater use of the Railways’ parcel services.
The railway spokesperson said the Jammu Division was providing orchardists with direct access to national markets through its parcel network.
“The continuous loading of plum after cherry and litchi demonstrates that Railways is emerging as the most reliable and cost-effective option for transporting fresh and perishable fruits. This is ensuring better prices for farmers and timely delivery of fresh fruits to consumers,” the spokesperson said.
