However, growers and representatives of the Himachal Pradesh State Agricultural Marketing Board (HPSAMB) said the freight charges proposed by the Railways were considerably higher than the cost of transporting produce by road. He added that growers were also apprehensive about multiple loading and unloading points, which could increase the chances of fruit damage. Under the proposed arrangement, growers would first transport their produce by truck to Kalka before it is loaded onto trains. Even though apprehensive for now, some growers believe the Railways’ entry into apple transportation could break the monopoly of truckers and make freight charges more competitive. They also feel rail transport would enable the produce to reach markets faster, helping the fruit remain fresher.