JAMMU, May 28 -- During the ongoing cherry season in Jammu and Kashmir, around 43 tonnes of fresh cherries from Kashmir have been safely delivered to major markets across the country via rail service, said officials on Wednesday. "As a result, traders and fruit growers are making full use of rail services. Cherry consignments have been sent as railway parcels through SLR and parcel vans in various trains to stations including Surat, Bandra, Bhopal, Chhayapuri in Vadodara etc," said a Railways spokesperson. "Cherries are reaching destinations in less time through rail service without loss of quality, enabling farmers to get better prices. And with SLR and VP facilities, traders of all sizes are able to book cherries as per their demand," he added. The spokesperson informed that fruit growers of the Jammu region were now bypassing the uncertainties of road transport and sending their produce directly to major markets. "Utilization of parcel space in passenger trains is generating additional revenue for Railways and boosting the marketing of agricultural produce," he added. Uchit Singhal, senior divisional commercial manager, Jammu division, said, "Railways is committed to providing efficient and economical logistics solutions to farming community. The dispatch of 43 tonnes of cherries is a proof of the trust that fruit growers and traders have in rail services". htc...