SRINAGAR
The Jammu Division of Northern Railway has successfully transported over nine tonnes of fresh Kashmiri plums to major consumption centres in Chennai and Kolkata over the past five days, signaling a significant boost for the region’s fruit growers. This initiative by the railways aims to provide a reliable and cost-effective channel for the produce from Jammu and Kashmir to reach markets across the country.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the railway’s parcel service played a crucial role in this dispatch, following previous successful transports of cherries and litchis. Officials highlighted that these efforts are directly connecting fruit growers in the Union Territory with major urban markets, ensuring timely delivery and potentially better prices for their harvest.
In a recent development on Friday, the Jammu Division loaded and dispatched 284 packets of fresh plums, collectively weighing approximately three tonnes, from the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra railway station to Chennai. This specific consignment underscores the growing reliance on the railway network for perishable goods.
Prior to this, between June 22 and June 25, a substantial volume of plums, comprising about 587 packets and weighing approximately 6.1 tonnes, was transported from the Jammu Tawi railway station to Kolkata via the same parcel service. These figures indicate a consistent demand and logistical capability for handling large quantities of fresh fruit.
Uchit Singhal, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of the Jammu Division, described the successful dispatch of plums from both Katra and Jammu Tawi as another milestone achieved by the Railways. He emphasized that the consistent loading of fruits, including plums after cherries and litchis, demonstrates the railway’s growing effectiveness in linking farmers directly to national markets.
Singhal further elaborated that the Railways are committed to ensuring quick booking, safe handling, and time-bound delivery of these perishable commodities. The overarching objective, he stated, is to ensure that every seasonal fruit produced in Kashmir reaches markets nationwide, and he urged traders and orchardists to leverage the Railways’ parcel services more extensively.
A railway spokesperson reiterated that the Jammu Division’s parcel network is providing orchardists with direct access to national markets. The continuous operation of these services for various fruits highlights the railways as an emerging reliable and cost-effective transportation option for fresh and perishable fruits. This, in turn, is contributing to better market prices for farmers and ensuring the timely delivery of fresh fruits to consumers across India.
The Chenab Times News Desk