Maha govt plans Sunday fruit market in south Mumbai

The Maharashtra government is planning a weekly farmers' fruit market in Mumbai, allowing the people to get a fresh fruits by the farmers from different parts of the state.
The plan of the marketing department is to set up the market in the parking lot of Hutatma Chowk in south Mumbai.
"The government feels the weekly fruit market will attract the tourists, who come to visit the Gateway of India and other such places in south Mumbai on Sundays," an official of the marketing department said.
The department wants to set up a farmers' fruit market, which will provide a fresh and quality fruits to people at a reasonable rate on each Sunday, the official added.

The purpose behind the proposed move is to increase the profits of fruit cultivators in Maharashtra.
According to the official, the department sought permission from Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for the weekly market at Hutatma Chowk and the latter has given its nod.

The department is now preparing a chart, which will have fruits that can lure the tourists.
"The schedule of the fruit market is yet to be finalised, as it will depend on the response received by the tourists and Mumbaikars," he said.
Maharashtra is one of the largest fruit producing states in the country.
Officials said the farmers will bring fresh bananas, grapes, guavas, pomegranates, figs, orange, sapodilla (chiku), papayas, strawberry and custard apple (sitaphal) in the first weekly fruit market. In future, they will supply as per the sale and season of the fruits.

The official said the fruit market will boost the tourism in Mumbai. The state is already running farmers' vegetables weekly market at the parking lot of Vidhan Bhavan (state legislative assembly building) from August 2016.