Despite the tall claims of state administration about dispatching 1.20 lakh metric tons of fruit from the valley, the fruit growers of Kashmir are facing a deep financial crisis as the crop production has started to rot in absence of proper transportation. Due to the uncertainty, the growers have calculated the losses to the tune of worth Rs 500 crore so far which is all set to go up further. According to the Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the delay in transportation of the fruit due to the prevailing uncertainty in Kashmir in the backdrop of revocation of article 370, has left the crop damaged.Due to the prevailing communication blockade the fruit growers of Kashmir suffered a huge loss as most of their harvest have been damaged in absence of cold storage facilities due to the delay in transportation and restrictions have dented their business badly.The fruit growers at the second largest apple market in Asia, Sopore Fruit Mandi are in deep crisis as scores of trucks are just parked in the Mandi fearing for the safety of their lives and stock. Due to the current state of affairs the fruit growers of the Kashmir valley are highly distressed as their business continues to remain gloomy and affected due to the curbs and restrictions. This KNO correspondent spoke to fruit growers at length to gauge the exact situation on ground.Talking to Kashmir News Observer (KNO) Adil Ahmad Dar, a fruit grower, said: “The state sponsored communication gag and restrictions have created a sense of fear, anger, and frustration for us as we are completely cutoff not only from the state but from the rest of the country where we are supposed to sell our fruits.”
He said that present situation have casted a deep shadow on their business as they failed to fetch a good price due to the lack of customers. “As we are not aware about the amount of loss that we are going to bear just because of the restrictions and uncertainty.”Manzoor Ahmad Najar, a fruit merchant told KNO that they never expected that the situation in Kashmir will be as disastrous as it is of now. “We expected a great season for our fruits as the demand ran high before the abrogation of Article 370 but unfortunately due to the issued advisory and imposed restriction our buyers were made to flee from the valley leaving us all high and dry.”Mohammad Ashraf, a truck driver told KNO that are not comfortable with the current situation as the valley continues to simmer due to the uncertainty and what bothers us more is that we are cutoff from the from our families due to the ongoing communication gag.”He told KNO that he is not able to deliver the goods outside the as he fears for his personal safety as he ruled out that incase if he faces any kind of threat while delivering the fruits outside the valley whom he is supposed to call for help, even the emergency helpline numbers remain suspended.He further told KNO,” Just like the fruits growers and merchants we are also the victims of this uncertainty as we cannot afford to risk our lives and assets in the prevailing situation just for the transportation of fruits outside valley.”Mohammad Ismail Bhat, a loader told KNO, Apart from the earning our livelihood in the present uncertainty we are moving pillar to post in order to know about the safety and well-being of our families, who cannot be reached from the last three weeks due to the mobile services clampdown.” He said that he is not able to stop thinking about his family while he regrets his decision of working away from his family in order to earn a good sum of money. (KNO)