ASIA’S LARGEST FRUIT MANDI: Fruit trading hub in north Kashmir owes its existence to visionary grower
Baramulla, Aug 2: With Rs 7,000 crore turnover annually, the Sopore fruit Mandi has emerged a major key player in the India’s agriculture economy and today stands as symbol of economic empowerment, however, behind the success of this economic centre is a struggle, and a dream lead by humble fruit grower from Watergam Rafiabad, late Muhammad Mustafa.
Fruit growers closely associated with the late Muhammad Mustafa, who died a few years back, while recalling his struggle for ending the monopoly of the Delhi traders, said that the local growers were dependent on Delhi merchants for advance payments, which often translated into unfair deals and exploitative terms.
They said Mustafa envisioned a platform where Kashmir’s fruit could be sold directly and on Kashmiri soil. “His belief was clear, Kashmir’s most vital economic activity, horticulture. must remain in the hands of its own people,” said Kaka JI, president fruit growers association, fruit Mandi Sopore.
He said Mustafa's struggle began in 1987-88, when, along with a few like-minded fruit growers, he established an informal auction platform at Iqbal Market Sopore. “It was an audacious move, not just against the powerful non local syndicate but against scepticism within his own fruit grower community. Many growers feared financial loss and were reluctant to move away from the traditional trade channels,” said Kaka JI.
Abdul Rashid, another fruit grower and close associate of the Late Mustafa said that during those days, Kashmir apples followed a long, monopolised journey, first to Delhi, then to Pathankot, and even Jammu, routed and priced at the whims of non-local traders.
Rashid said Mustafa refused to give up. He identified a large, flourishing piece of land owned by the Horticulture Department known as Peesa Bagh in Nowpora Kalan, Sopore. This orchard was rich with apple, walnut, and plum (Aaloo Bukhara) trees.
He said in 1989, braving resistance and challenges, Mustafa stepped into this government-owned orchard and built a few sheds to auction fruit locally.
What started as a modest attempt soon attracted attention. The non-local traders, who had long dictated Kashmir’s fruit market from afar, began arriving in Sopore for auctions.
As the fruit Mandi Sopore gained some attention from the authorities and local growers advocated for the allotment of the land for the fruit Mandi sopore, Mustafa along with other
Fruit growers start knocking at the corridors of power to seek their help in ending the monopoly and exploitation of the growers by establishing this fruit Mandi.
“After meeting the then Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah and Agriculture minister Muhammad Shafi Uri, the dream of mustafa came in to reality and then state Government allotted 372 kanals of land for the establishment of fruit Mandi Sopore and latter 100 more kanals of land were earmarked for a dedicated truck yard,” said Kaka Ji.
Over the years, the mandi Sopore has evolved into a sprawling and organised trade hub, transforming Sopore into Kashmir’s fruit capital and becoming Asia's second largest fruit market. In 2024, the Sopore Fruit Mandi recorded a turnover of Rs 7000 turnover and plays an important role in the economy of Jammu and Kashmir. The fruit Mandi has also turned out to be a major export hub of the apple and around 5 lakh metric tonnes of fruit are exported annually to neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.
“Before the peak harvest, the mandi sees 60 to 70 trucks loaded with early varieties of apples leaving daily for markets across India. During the peak season, that number surges to over 250 trucks each day,” said president fruit growers association Fruit Mandi Sopore, Kaka Ji.
