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Punjab to develop new fruit, vegetable markets

Chandigarh: To strengthen the marketing infrastructure in the State, the Punjab State Agricultural Marketing Board has decided to spend Rs 259.44 crore on developing new fruit and vegetable markets. Under the scheme of “Strengthening of agricultural marketing infrastructure, grading and standardisation”, the Centre will provide a subsidy of Rs 64.75 crore for this project.

The balance amount would be spent by the Board out of its own resources, said Board Chairman Ajmer Singh Lakhowal in a release here. Under this project, several mandis would be set up in Patiala, Phillaur, Majitha, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Giddarbaha and Malout.

The Board also proposes to set up 60 ripening chambers and 20 cold rooms, grading machines and re-conditioning rooms in 20 major markets of the State, he said.

The Board will also spend Rs. 39 crore on modernising cotton mandis to facilitate its trade in the State.

For this project, the Union Government would contribute Rs. 15.12 crore while the Board would cough up the remaining amount, Mr. Lakhowal added.

As part of the proposed project, almost 50 cotton mandis would be equipped with electronic boards which would inform the farmers about prevailing rates of cotton in different markets across the country. -- PTI

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