In occupied Kashmir, the demand for the opening of trade links between the two parts of Kashmir, has taken impetus after occupied valley-based fruit growers faced huge losses, following closure of the Srinagar-Jammu Highway. Fruit growers in the occupied valley said that they wanted an international market for their fruit and once the trade link between the two parts of the divided Kashmir was opened, the fruit would reach various central Asian countries.

The held valley has an annual production of 15 lakh metric tonnes of fruit exports and out of it only seven lakh metric tonne is exported to different parts of India. In absence of any other surface link, fruit producers in the valley are dependent on Srinagar-Jammu Highway for transporting their fruit out of the valley, which remains closed for many months. Many fruit growers said opening of the trade link would put an end to the miseries faced by them.