Sopore Fruit Mandi reels under transport shortages, slumping demand
Sopore, Sep 28: Fruit growers and traders at Sopore, Asia’s second-largest fruit market, have sounded the alarm over mounting losses caused by low demand and transport difficulties this month.
According to traders, the recent disruptions have left many growers burdened with heavy debts, with numerous businesses already tied up in bank loans. They have urged the government to immediately assess and compensate the losses, which they estimate to exceed Rs 2,000 crore.
Fayaz Ahmad Malik, president of the Sopore Fruit Mandi Association, highlighted rising transport costs as a major concern. “Skyrocketing fares, worsened by a severe shortage of trucks, are making it impossible for traders to sustain operations. The blockade has brought our business to a standstill,” he said.
Growers and traders are also calling for the government to explore railway connectivity directly from Sopore railway station for loading fruit consignments. They believe a rail link would provide a reliable and cost-effective alternative during such crises.
Meanwhile, frustration is mounting among hundreds of growers and dealers towards the authorities, whom they say have failed to address their concerns. “We feel abandoned. Despite being Asia’s second-largest fruit market, our plight is being ignored,” they alleged.
The ongoing transport disruptions are caused by repeated closures of the NH-44 due to landslides, shooting stones, and repair works in Ramban, Banihal, and surrounding areas. Hundreds of trucks carrying perishable fruit have been stranded for days, forcing growers to sell at distress prices or watch consignments rot in transit.
Sopore market, a key supplier of apples and other fresh produce across India, is grappling with an unprecedented crisis that, if left unaddressed, threatens the livelihoods of thousands of families dependent on Kashmir’s horticulture sector. Growers have warned that failure to act swiftly could result in irreversible damage to the industry.
