The provincial government has approved various projects worth Rs 274.8 million for the improvement of the Agricultural Marketing Department. The budget allocation for development works in different market committees have also been increased to Rs 1,195 million for the current year as compared to Rs 875 million in the previous year.
There was a substantial increase of 37 percent budget allocation for the development works, said the sources. They said the Agricultural Marketing Information Service was being established at a cost of Rs 112.8 million and Rs 56 million would be spent on improving the fruits and vegetables markets.
He said that on-farm warehousing capacity of 10.265 thousand tons would be developed on pilot basis for grain storage through marketing co-operatives. A sum of Rs 50 million had been allocated for the project, he added.
They added that 30 market committees of the province would be inter linked through internet (website) during the current fiscal year while same number of electronic display board will be installed throughout the province.
The shifting of 12 major market committees was in progress while three electronic display boards will be installed in Lahore, two each at Multan and Faisalabad while one each will be installed in Gujranwala, Sargodha, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur and Okara.Punjab Institute of Agriculture Marketing was being set up at a cost of Rs 56 million for the capacity building of the staff of agricultural marketing wing, marketing committees and to train farmers and other stakeholders to better respond market signals.
Besides, the prevailing laws regarding Punjab Agriculture Marketing Company (Pamco) were being amended to promote grading, packing and labelling of agricultural produce and introduce contract farming, co-operative and warehousing schemes.
The government was working on comprehensive programme of agricultural marketing so as the farmer can get better returns from their produce and steps were being taken to encourage public private partnership in agri-marketing for creating healthy competition.