Jammu, Aug 21: The Railways on Friday held a meeting with the Horticulture Department, fruit growers, traders and aggregators in Srinagar to chalk out arrangements for the safe, timely and economical transportation of apples during the upcoming 2026 season.
The meeting was attended by railway officials from Jammu Division, including the Assistant Commercial Manager and Assistant Operations Manager, along with officials of the Horticulture Department and around 30–35 representatives of growers, farmers, traders and aggregators, both physically and virtually.
Detailed discussions were held on the transportation of apples from the Anantnag and Pampore Goods Sheds and the movement of fruit through parcel trains from Budgam to Adarsh Nagar in Delhi.
Representatives of the horticulture sector appreciated the Railways for its services during the 2025 season, particularly when the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway faced closures due to natural disruptions.
Last year, Jammu Division transported around 20,000 tonnes of apples from Kashmir to various markets across the country through goods trains, JPP-RCS parcel trains, parcel vans and BCN wagons.
For the upcoming season, it was decided that the Directorate of Horticulture would provide the Railways with details of the expected apple volume and transportation requirements within a week to facilitate timely arrangements for parcel van rakes and BCN wagons.
Railway officials also urged aggregators and traders to use the parcel service according to their requirements and submit indents in advance. They said traders could submit their requests online to enable the Railways to include consignments in scheduled routes and arrange parcel rakes or wagons on priority.
Officials said rail transportation would offer farmers and aggregators a more economical alternative to road transport, helping reduce per-box freight costs and improve returns. They also highlighted the advantage of rail connectivity during bad weather, landslides and highway closures, reducing the risk of delays and fruit spoilage.
The meeting also discussed bulk transportation through parcel vans and BCN wagons, as well as connectivity from Budgam to major fruit markets, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, Jammu, Uchit Singhal said the Railways was committed to supporting the horticulture sector and improving transportation facilities for farmers and traders.
“Our target is that this year more apples should be transported through Railways than last year. All farmer and trader brothers should join the Railway parcel service in maximum numbers,” he said.
The participating aggregators expressed their willingness to work with the Railways for apple transportation during the 2026 season.
