Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 13: Fruit growers today staged a protest at Asia’s second-largest fruit mandi in Sopore, demanding priority movement of fruit-laden trucks on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.
Addressing reporters, Sopore Fruit Mandi President Fayaz Ahmad Malik said the disruption has caused estimated losses of Rs 1,000-1,200 crore to the sector.
“The fruit industry is the backbone of Kashmir’s economy. For the past 15 days, nearly 2,000 trucks carrying perishable produce have been stranded on the highway. If the halt continues, losses will mount further,” he warned.
Malik urged authorities to immediately clear the route and allow the stranded vehicles to move toward Jammu to prevent spoilage.
He said that the NH is the Valley’s sole all-weather surface link with the rest of the country, frequently faces closures caused by landslides, shooting stones, and repair works.
Growers said such interruptions during the peak fruit season delay supplies, cause rotting of perishable produce, and lead to the loss of contracts with outside markets.
Malik also raised concerns over the recently launched parcel train services, demanding that they be made available at all railway stations, particularly Amargarh, the nearest station to Sopore.
“We can easily fill one train with fruits here, but transporting the produce to Budgam adds heavy expenses,” he said.
Appealing to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Malik sought a two-day clearance window on the highway exclusively for fruit trucks.
He stressed that Sopore, a major hub for fruit exports, has suffered immense financial losses this season due to the persistent disruptions.
Similar protests were held across various mandis in Kashmir.
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