Srinagar Highway Closures Trigger Mutton and Fruit Crisis, over 150 Weddings Postponed
According to the Mutton Dealers Association, more than 150 weddings have had to be postponed in the last few days, as a Kashmiri wedding is considered incomplete without a wazwan.
Srinagar: The Kashmir Valley is currently facing two major crises. The continuous closure of the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway (NH 44) and alleged administrative mismanagement on the Mughal Road have not only disrupted the mutton industry but also paralyzed the exports of fruits like apples, pears, and plums. This situation has dealt a severe blow to both the economy and culture of the valley.
According to the Mutton Dealers Association, more than 150 weddings have had to be postponed in the last few days, as a Kashmiri wedding is considered incomplete without a wazwan. The association’s General Secretary, Mehrajuddin Ganai, said that if the cattle do not reach the valley within the next day, mutton will completely run out after Tuesday.
He revealed that in the last three days, more than 400 sheep have died of hunger, thirst, and suffocation inside trucks. Dealers say that the traffic police have been stopping trucks at various points from Lachhmanpur to Poonch and Nowshera without any reason, resulting in huge loss of life and property.
Meanwhile, the horticulture industry, the backbone of the valley’s economy, has been hit hard. More than 250 trucks loaded with apples, pears, and plums have been stranded on the roads for several days. According to traders, the loss has been worth ₹200 crore in just one week, while the overall fruit sector has suffered losses of around ₹400 crore.
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“Our apples, which were supposed to reach Delhi in 48 hours, are now rotting in trucks for 6–8 days. A box worth ₹1,200 is being sold for ₹300 in the market,” said one trader.
This crisis is not just a financial one but also a cultural wound. Wazwan is the centerpiece of Kashmiri weddings, and the unavailability of mutton has left dozens of families embarrassed and heartbroken. Similarly, rotting apples are not only hurting traders but also tarnishing the reputation of the valley as the “Apple Bowl of India.”
The government claims that essential supplies are being transported via the Mughal Road and that trucks are being escorted, but the reality on the ground tells a different story. Trucks remain stranded at various locations, traders and dealers have not received any compensation, and no relief schemes exist for cancelled weddings.
This crisis highlights once again that the economy and culture of the valley depend heavily on a fragile highway. When this route is blocked, not only traffic comes to a standstill but life itself halts. The mutton and fruit crisis underscores the urgent need for the government to develop alternative routes, provide cold storage facilities, and intervene promptly.
