Srinagar, Feb 11: The Jammu and Kashmir government informed the Legislative Assembly that nearly 22,000 metric tonnes (MT) of apple produce, equivalent to about 2,200 truckloads, were stranded on National Highway-44 during the August–September 2025 blockade caused by unprecedented rainfall and landslides.
The disclosure was in response to a starred question by MLA Kreeri-Wagoora and Advocate Irfan Hafiz Lone regarding losses faced by the horticulture sector and measures taken to prevent recurrence.
In its reply, the government stated that intense rainfall, cloudbursts, and flash floods between August 26–27 and September 2–3, 202,5 caused extensive damage along the Udhampur–Banihal stretch of NH-44.
It further said that the worst-affected section was near Tharad (Km 71) on the Udhampur–Chenani section, where a massive hillslide spanning nearly 300 metres engulfed the four-lane highway, resulting in a complete blockage of traffic.
“Districts Ramban and Udhampur recorded about 630 mm of rainfall during the period, triggering slope failures, heavy muck deposition and embankment damage along the River Tawi.”
The Government said that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) immediately mobilised machinery, manpower and technical resources and undertook round-the-clock restoration work. The first closure, beginning August 26, was cleared within 2.5 days, and the highway reopened on August 29.
However, fresh landslides on September 2 triggered another complete closure, which was restored within eight days, with traffic becoming fully operational from September 10, 2025.
The government further maintained that restoration was carried out despite adverse weather and challenging terrain conditions, minimising prolonged disruption.
It was further informed that the four-laning of NH-44 from Udhampur to Banihal has been substantially completed, except for the Marog–Sherbibi stretch, where construction of twin-tube tunnels and viaducts is underway as per approved timelines.
Referring to the horticulture sector, the Government stated that Kashmir, being India’s leading apple-producing region, has an estimated apple production of approximately 22.15 lakh metric tonnes for the 2025 season.
“Of this, around 14 lakh metric tonnes are normally exported to markets outside the Union Territory, while the remainder is consumed locally, stored in controlled atmosphere facilities or accounted for as handling losses,” it said.
During the blockade period, about 22,000 MT of fruit remained stranded on NH-44 as of September 17, 2025, which the Government said constituted nearly one per cent of the total seasonal production.
It further said fruit movement, however, continued in phases in line with the harvest cycle. On September 17 alone, around 15,000 MT were dispatched through NH-44.
“Additionally, 13,800 trucks were diverted through the Mughal Road during the blockade period, while a total of 45,922 trucks had transported fruit outside J&K between January and mid-September 2025. For comparison, 13,595 trucks were dispatched in September 2023 and 17,846 trucks in September 2024 through NH-44,” the government said in its reply.
To mitigate losses and protect growers, six-tyre trucks were permitted to ply through the Mughal Road as an alternative route.
During the road blockade, 1,25,376 apple boxes worth ₹10.03 crore were dispatched by rail from Budgam and Anantnag to Jammu and Delhi. A control room was established at Qazigund to monitor and coordinate truck movement, and farmers and traders were advised to defer harvesting temporarily and utilise railway parcel services.
Controlled Atmosphere storage facilities were recommended for short-term preservation. The Government, however, acknowledged that horticulture farmers suffered losses due to incessant rains and floods during September 2025.
It further said that Agriculture Production Department has an Enforcement Directorate at the Union Territory level and law enforcement agencies at the district level. The UT currently has two NABL-accredited fertiliser testing laboratories at Jammu and Srinagar and six pesticide testing laboratories located in Jammu, Srinagar, Kulgam and Baramulla.
“Since 2023–24, a total of 149 prosecutions have been launched in pesticide-related violations with ₹2.50 lakh recovered as fines, while 110 prosecutions have been initiated in fertiliser cases with ₹1.31 lakh recovered,” the reply added.
