Jammu, Aug. 7 -- The horticulture sector is a mainstay of Jammu and Kashmir's economy, providing livelihoods to lakhs of people in the Union Territory, especially in Kashmir. Conventionally, trucks are the lifeline for fruit growers, especially apple orchardists, as thousands of trucks carry fresh fruit to markets across the country during the apple harvesting season. This has been the normal practice for decades, as there were traditionally no other means of transporting fruits out of the Valley.
However, climate change has increased the frequency of prolonged wet spells in the region, leading to repeated closure of National Highway-44 due to landslides and traffic congestion. This has emerged as a major challenge for fruit growers, trade...