Unrest mars harvesting season; No truckers for Kashmir apple Archives

Apple growers are grappling with lack of labour and transport this season. The Army says it is facilitating movement of 1,500 trucks out of the Valley every day. While people across rural Kashmir get busy collecting apple, this season, growers are facing problems never seen before. The apple industry is the mainstay of the rural economy. The state produces around 18 to 22 lakh metric tonnes of varieties of fruit, with 80% comprising apple. “The apple crop is ready. I am afraid to collect it as the unrest has hit…