Traders at Al Aweer’s Fruits and Vegetables Market in the UAE claim the owner of Orange Line food store has disappeared owing ‘millions’ to suppliers.
According to a report in local newspaper The National, the owner of the store Mohammed Ashraf - an Indian national – bought fruit and vegetables from traders at the market to sell into other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, but disappeared several days ago and has been unreachable since.
'There is no protection for traders in the Al Aweer market,' a businessman who allegedly lost Dh88,000 (US$24,000) told the newspaper. 'This is the second time that I am facing this kind of situation. Last year, also, one trader ran away without paying me the amount due.'
The owner of Dubai-based Pan Viet Foodstuffs Abdul Jaleel told the newspaper he had supplied Dh200,000 of fresh produce to Orange Line. 'The company has been closed since Saturday and no employee is in the office. All the phones are switched off and there is no trace of the owner,' he added. 'At least 15 businessmen are affected because of the closing of the company.'
Dubai-based fruit importers South Link International Foodstuff owner Jayapalan Nair said he was out of pocket to the tune of Dh125,000. 'I am facing a big loss. All the cheques bounced and there is no information about the man.'
He said traders are discussing among themselves how to react to the situation. 'There seems to be no scope of getting back our money. We don't know where the man is hiding,' he said. 'Small businessmen who dealt with him are the worst affected.'
A businessman from import company Farzana Trading said it was owed Dh600,000 by Orange Line. 'A lot of businessmen of Iranian and Chinese origin are badly affected,' he added.
Another businessman who asked not to be named told the newspaper steps needed to be taken to prevent similar occurrences in the future. 'Traders should sit together and work out a plan to prevent such situations, otherwise more incidents will happen in future. A lot of traders in Al Aweer market are illiterate and do not understand the rules. The authorities should step in with stricter rules and regulations,' he said.
The Fruit and Vegetable Market is located on Emirates Road near Dubai International City and houses more than 250 stalls.
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