SRINAGAR, Sept. 18 -- The prolonged closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway has turned into a windfall for Himachal Pradesh, where apple prices have soared by nearly 40 percent this season.The highway, which has been closed for the last two weeks, halted the supply of Kashmiri apples to fruit mandis across India, pushing outside traders to turn to Himachal Pradesh. The sudden surge in demand has driven up prices sharply, with elite varieties like Royal Delicious witnessing record highs."Rates of Royal Delicious have surged to Rs.2,500 per box for the first time. Last year it was Rs.1,500," said Davender Sharma, owner of Maa Tara Fruit Company, crediting the price hike to the highway disruption. "We are witnessing an increased deman...