Goa, Sept. 17 -- Thousands of tons of apples are rotting in stranded trucks along the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, triggering protests by distressed farmers who accuse the government of failing to restore the vital road link for the past 20 days.

Videos and images circulating on social media show truckloads of rotten apples being dumped near the highway, reflecting the scale of losses suffered by growers in Kashmir. Farmers say the prolonged closure has crippled the supply chain and left them unable to transport produce to mandis across the country.

Kashmir contributes nearly 80% of India's apple production, making horticulture the backbone of the region's rural economy. Farmers, who toil year-round in orchards to secure their livel...