Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini inaugurated the first phase of the modern apple, fruit and vegetable market at Pinjore in Panchkula on Wednesday.
Touted to be Asia’s largest apple, fruit and vegetable market, it is constructed over an area of 78 acres and is built with a cost of ₹220 crore. Its first phase has been constructed in an area of 10 acres at a cost of ₹14.66 crore.
This mandi will meet the needs of Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali and the northern region. 77 shops and plots have been sold in this apple mandi of Pinjore through e-auction.
While speaking on the occasion, Nayab Singh Saini, said, “The work of its second phase is in progress, which will be completed by December 31”.
The CM said an average of 210 lakh quintals of fruits and vegetables arrive in various mandis of Haryana throughout the year. At present, Sector-20 of Panchkula has the largest apple mandi.
He said this mandi is being established in Pinjore due to lack of sufficient space in Panchkula mandi. “Fruit traders of Haryana used to buy fruits from Himachal and Jammu and Kashmir and sell them directly in Delhi. Now, with the establishment of this mandi, traders will be able to buy and sell fruits and vegetables in this mandi. Farmers of this region will also benefit from this.”
Haryana agriculture and farmers welfare department minister Kanwar Pal said that Pinjore market will benefit the farmers and traders of Haryana as well as Himachal, Punjab and Kashmir. He said that apples will come for sale from 14 places in Himachal, four places in Jammu and Kashmir in this market. Apart from this, apples from 24 places abroad will come for sale in this market.
{{/usCountry}}Haryana agriculture and farmers welfare department minister Kanwar Pal said that Pinjore market will benefit the farmers and traders of Haryana as well as Himachal, Punjab and Kashmir. He said that apples will come for sale from 14 places in Himachal, four places in Jammu and Kashmir in this market. Apart from this, apples from 24 places abroad will come for sale in this market.
{{/usCountry}}Haryana assembly speaker Gian Chand Gupta said that in the second phase of this market, all the necessary facilities including air-conditioned auction hall, fruit ripening center, packaging unit, hotel site, petrol/CNG pump will be made available.
‘10k people will get job opportunities’
Former MLA of Kalka Latika Sharma said that about 10,000 people will get employment opportunities after the start of the modern apple, fruit and vegetable market Pinjore and new dimensions will be established for the farmers.