Sopore: The fruit growers and traders at Asia’s second largest Fruit Mandi in Sopore area of north Kashmir Baramulla district staged a strong protest Monday against frequent stoppage of apple-laden trucks on highway, which they said is inflicting huge losses on them.
Holding placards that read “Save fruit industry”, “Growers Face Huge Losses’ and ‘Road Blockade Unacceptable,” the protesting growers and traders demanded that the stranded fruit trucks be allowed to proceed towards their destinations ahead of Diwali festival.
“Thousands fruit-laden trucks are stranded along the highway. Authorities have been unnecessarily stopping our apple trucks while as other private transport and Army convoys ply smoothly,” said president Sopore Fruit Mandi, Fayaz Ahamd Malik.
“The Diwali round the corner, if our fruit remains stranded on highway, we will suffer huge losses,” he added.
The protesters demanded that fruit trucks should be allowed to move on priority on Srinagar-Jammu highway or else they will be forced to start massive protests across state.
Malik alleged that despite approaching the higher authorities, nothing has been done to address their concerns.
