More ultra-modern fruit, vegetable mkts to come up soon: Badal

Punjab government today said ultra-modern fruit and vegetable markets will be set up in big cities like Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar and Patiala, to ensure hassle-free marketing of horticulture products.
State Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was addressing farmers after inaugurating an ultra modern fruit and vegetable market set up over an area of 12.5 acres at a cost of Rs 50 crore.
He said such markets would be opened in remaining parts of the state in the second phase.
The Chief Minister said, "Our government is committed to take pro-farmer initiatives for the welfare of peasantry and this modern mandi was also a step towards that direction."

Sharing details about the new market, Punjab Mandi Board Secretary Deepinder Singh said the most important feature of this market yard was the separation of the wholesale trade area from retail trade area.
Besides, there is a separate area where farmers can sell their produce directly to the consumers.

In this market yard, the auction of produce at the time of sale would be conducted electronically and electronic weigh scale has been set up for accurate measurement of the produce.
"This was for the first time that in any fruit and vegetable market yard in the state, the entire sale procedure would be monitored electronically," he said.

In this market yard, the other facilities such as washing, grading, standardisation, packaging, ripening etc would also be provided.