Indian Railways Plans Two Warehouses in Kashmir to Boost Farm Exports

The Northern Railway has launched a significant infrastructure initiative by inviting tenders for two new warehouses near Anantnag and Pampore railway stations in Kashmir. These facilities, developed under the Railways' Cargo Related Facility (CRF) policy with 25-year lease terms, aim to streamline the movement of perishable agricultural products, particularly apples and saffron, from Kashmir's farms to major market centers.

This project, combined with an existing warehouse at Bari Brahmana near Jammu, represents a structural shift in how the region handles agricultural logistics. For supply chain professionals, this development is significant because it addresses a critical pain point in Indian agricultural export: post-harvest losses due to inadequate storage infrastructure near transportation hubs.

By reducing loading and unloading costs and enabling better inventory management at railway nodes, these warehouses should improve margins for farmers and traders while increasing throughput on rail networks. The initiative also signals government investment in last-mile agricultural connectivity, which typically drives higher service levels and predictability for regional supply chains.