To give a big boost to export of perishable commodities from the State, the Punjab Government has commenced the construction of ultra-modern pack houses for fruit and vegetable products. These pack-houses, to be establish at Jalandhar, Ferozpur, Batala, Moga, Sangrur, Bathinda, Hoshairpur, Phagwara, Abohar, Kapurthala, Patiala and ludhiana, would have facilities for grading, sorting, packaging agricultural and horticultural products in the State.
These pack houses have been put up to encourage farmers to go for diversification in agriculture sector, and it would also have mechanical grading and sorting line, pre-cooling chamber, cold storage, a reefer van and a pick up van, disclosed an official spokesperson of the agriculture department.
He said that the fruit and vegetable market in Punjab is likely to get a fillip as the Punjab Mandi Board is setting up at least 14 pack houses for grading, sorting and packaging of agricultural and horticultural produce in the State. He said that in the past many years, production of fruits and vegetables in Punjab was increasing continuously and there was a dire need for setting up pack houses.