The Story of "Chotta London"
Sopore, once known as "Chotta London" for its thriving commercial vigor, has transformed into Kashmir's fruit capital. The mandi was born from the vision of Muhammad Mustafa and his associates who fought against exploitative practices by Delhi merchants. After meeting Chief Minister Dr. Farooq Abdullah, the government allotted 372 kanals of land, later expanding to include a dedicated truck yard.
Today, it stands as Asia's second-largest fruit market after Delhi's Azadpur Mandi, and the continent's biggest hub for apple trade, handling 40% of Kashmir's total apple output.