Agricultural market reforms in progress: official

LAHORE: The agricultural markets across Punjab are being reformed to give farmers a fair return for their labour. These reforms will benefit all the stakeholders and reduce market problems, an official said on Monday.

During a visit to the Badami Bagh Fruit Market, Provincial Punjab Minister for Agriculture Syed Hussain Jahanian Gardezi said that the farmers’ platforms have been set up in 105 agricultural markets across the province where they are selling goods directly.

In addition, a record of market fee collection is being compiled through the Android application “Mandi App” so that the role of the middlemen can be limited and the farmers can be fully compensated.

In these markets, the schedule of market fees, commissions, and daily rates are being displayed in clear places.

He also said that after the enactment of the (Punjab Agricultural Marketing Regulatory Authority (Pamra) Act, the system of the agricultural markets is being modernised, which will benefit all the stakeholders.

“[The] construction work of a model market is underway in Lakhodira, Lahore at a cost of Rs5 billion in which processing arrangements are being made with the help of modern machinery and this will be the largest market of Asia,” Gardezi said.

He predicted that this market will prove to be a better option for the farmers. In addition, standard arrangements have been made for cleanliness in the model markets across the province and the rates are being fixed on the basis of daily auctions, he added.

Pamra director-general Mohsin Shakir, Badami Bagh Mandi chairman Malik Nadeem Ishaq, Badami Bagh Mandi president Qaiser Sajjad Bhatti and vice president Chaudhry Arsalan Zaheer and others were also present on the occasion.

Later, the minister for agriculture also took oath from the newly-elected Mandi union.

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