Jammu, Apr 2 : National Conference (NC) legislator from Sopore, Irshad Rasool Kar, on Thursday called for the establishment of an Inland Port at Sopore, Asia’s second-largest fruit mandi, to minimize post-harvest losses and boost horticulture exports from Jammu and Kashmir.
In a memorandum submitted to Agriculture Minister Javed Ahmad Dar, accessed by news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS), MLA Kar said the absence of integrated logistics and export infrastructure at the mandi—which records an annual turnover of around Rs 12,000 crore—is forcing traders to rely on distant cities for processing and compliance, leading to higher costs and quality deterioration.
“An Inland Port adjacent to the mandi will enable faster, cost-effective movement of goods and direct access to export markets,” the legislator said in his representation.
He proposed a multi-modal facility equipped with controlled atmosphere storage, pre-cooling units, modern sorting and packaging lines, and dedicated cargo handling platforms with refrigerated rail connectivity.
MLA Kar also stressed the need for single-window customs and quarantine clearance at the port itself.
The NC leader pointed out that a large patch of state land is already available near the Sopore mandi for the project. He argued that the port would improve price realization for farmers, generate employment, and spur ancillary industries such as packaging, cold chain, and food processing.
“The project can be implemented in phases. Upgradation of railway infrastructure for freight and introduction of refrigerated transport systems will be key,” MLA Kar added.
Meanwhile, speaking to the news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS), MLA Sopore Irshad Rasool Kar said the Agriculture Minister assured that the proposal would be examined seriously.
He said the Inland Port, if approved, is expected to integrate Sopore into national and international supply chains. (KNS)
