Fallout Of Srinagar-Jammu NH Closure: Anxious apple growers hit streets across Kashmir, mandis deserted

Sopore/Shopian, Sep 15: As fruit mandis were shuttered down for the second straight day, fruit growers and traders across Kashmir staged peaceful protests on Monday against prolonged closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway and the grounding of thousands of fruit trucks threatening losses worth crores to them.

In line with a Valley-wide two days call for closure of all mandis on September 14 and 15,  Sopore fruit mandi, Asia’s second-largest fresh fruit mandi, remained shut as growers staged peaceful protests against what they termed as “government indifference” towards the plight of horticulturists.

Hundreds of growers, dealers, traders and other stakeholders of Sopore assembled at the mandi gates, carrying placards and shouting slogans, demanding unhindered passage for their fruit-laden trucks stranded for days together on the highway. The protests lasted for an hour before the participants dispersed peacefully.

“Lakhs of families depend on horticulture. Yet our fruit trucks are stopped on the highway without reason.We are losing crores every day. If this continues, it will ruin Kashmir’s horticulture sector,” said Fayaz Ahmad Malik, President of Sopore Fruit Mandi, while addressing the gathering.

President of the Buyers and Forwarding Agents union at fruit mandi Sopore, Mudasir Ahmad Bhat questioned the “double standards of the administration,” pointing out that while a collapsed bridge in Jammu was rebuilt within 24 hours, no such urgency is being shown in restoring the national highway.

"Our consignments are perishable. Every hour of delay means huge losses. Already, we estimate losses of over Rs 1,200 crore this season. The government is watching silently, without any concrete plan,” said Saif Ud din Bhat, a grower from Sopore who joined the protest.

Similarly, the same sentiments were echoed by the group of other Fruit Growers Cum Dealers at Sopore mandi.

Meanwhile, distressed apple growers and traders in south Kashmir’s Shopian and Pulwama districts staged protests on Monday, demanding the immediate reopening of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, a key route for transporting perishable produce.

Scores of cultivators and fruit traders gathered at the mega fruit mandi in Shopian, keeping the market closed for the second consecutive day.

“At least two lakh apple cartons are lying in the mandi,” said Mohammad Ashraf, president of the Fruit Mandi Shopian. “Farmers are facing huge losses every day because of the prolonged closure. Immediate intervention is necessary to prevent a financial disaster for the horticulture sector.”

In neighbouring Pulwama district, farmers held similar protests, urging authorities to take immediate steps to restore the highway.

The business activities at Handwara Fruit Mandi remained suspended as well. The protesting growers demanded the immediate restoration of smooth traffic movement on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.

(With inputs from Tarique Raheem)