Peasants in a fix as pears perish on packed highway

“Since pear is highly perishable, it must reach mandi soon after harvesting. But due to heavy rush on the highway, trucks are stopped and their journey delayed. The fruit thus reaches mandis not before six days, and the growers have to suffer heavy losses,” said Ghulam Mohammad Dar, a grower from Ushkara, Baramulla.

“Not only does the fruit perish this way, we also have to pay the drivers for halts. Our money and hardwork are wasted. Last year I lost more than 300 fruit boxes as they rotted because trucks were delayed. In absence of cold storage, we have no option but to take chances to reach the mandis,” Dar said.

The growers said they have been suffering transport-related losses ever since the beginning of militancy, when the entire security was beefed up following threats to Amarnath yatris by militants. In 1996, the growers had to bear Rs 5 crore worth losses when road was closed for 21 days. No truck was allowed to move on highway. Growers had explained the losses to concerned departments but were not compensated.

Ghulam Rasool Bhat, president of the All Valley Fruit Growers’ Association, said that of the various types of fruits grown in the Valley, pear is considered the most precious because it fetches good money outside the State. A single pear box is being sold for Rs 300-450.

“The growers will get money only when the fruit reaches the mandi on time,” Bhat said, adding that it was the duty of the Traffic Police to inform the unions prior about closure of NH.