GUWAHATI, April 28 - Notwithstanding the logistical and supply constraints which emerged due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide lockdown, farmers of Assam have been able to sell vegetables and fruits worth a total of Rs 210 crore in the domestic markets during the last one month.
Official sources told The Assam Tribune today that the Agriculture Department, the Horticulture Directorate and the Assam State Agricultural Marketing Board are coordinating efforts with the respective district administrations to facilitate procurement, transport and sale of vegetables and fruits.
�Since the start of the lockdown and till yesterday, vegetables and fruits worth Rs 210 crore, which were produced by local farmers, have been sold in the domestic market. While Rs 113 crore worth vegetables and fruits were sold within Assam, products worth Rs 97 crore have been sent to other States of India. In addition, there has been some export of certain horticulture items to overseas markets as well,� said a senior official.
Yesterday, three metric tonne (MT) of vegetables were sent by trucks from Guwahati to Manipur.
�This came after other consignments of vegetables and fruits were sent to various States, including Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, West Bengal, Tripura, Rajasthan, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The Directorates of Agriculture and Horticulture as well as the Agricultural Marketing Board are coordinating the effort to remove the logistical problems and streamline the marketing channels. During the initial days of the lockdown, many problems related to transportation, purchase and marketing the crops had emerged. With passage of time the problems are being sorted out,� added the source.
He added that a control room has been set up at the Directorate of Agriculture here to help the farmers address problems faced due to the lockdown and it is manned by senior officials.
Meanwhile, the Pamohi wholesale market in Guwahati has reported sale of Rs 3.25 crore worth of vegetables so far during the lockdown period, said Debeswar Bora, Chief Executive Officer of Assam State Agricultural Marketing Board.
�The total quantity of vegetables sold in Pamohi till yesterday is 16,237 quintals,� said Bora.
