Punjab Mandi Board’s旁遮普曼迪板.docVIP

Punjab Mandi Board’s APNI MANDI Punjab Mandi Board, S.C.O No. 149-152, Sector 17-C, Chandigarh FORWORD Under the scheme of Punjab Govt. the Punjab Mandi Board has started Apni Mandi Scheme in the State of Punjab as well as in Union Territory Chandigarh for providing the batter marketing facilities to the farmers/ growers especially of fruits vegetables growers as the small growers could not get reasonable price to their produce and similarly on the other hand consumers were to pay the exorbitant price and get low quality products. The middleman involves in the trade took a major share of profit of the growers as well as of the consumers. After studying the concept of “Saturday Market” prevalent in U.K and U.S.A, the Punjab Mandi Board decided to organize “Apni Mandis” where farmers/ growers would sell their produce especially fruits Vegetables directly to the consumers. With the elimination of middleman, the net profit is shared by the producers and the consumers. Besides this consumers also get fresh items of produce which they want. Initially at the starting point, the Punjab Mandi Board introduced “Apni Mandi” in Feb, 1987 at S.A.S Nagar, Mohali (Punjab) and after this successful experiment now the Board is holding Apni Mandis in 27 towns in the State including Chandigarh. The number of farmers participated in these mandi was 10,278 in the year 1988 which has been increased to 3,53,610 in the year 2010. Similarly, approximate sale of produce in these mandis was for Rs. 2,96,24,761/- in the year 1988 which has been increased to Rs. 62,93,47,474/- in the year 2010. An evaluation study conducted by the Economists of Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana has shown that “Apni Mandi” has really proved a blessing for the farmers particular the small ones and boon to the consumers. The Punjab Mandi Board accepts all criticism and suggestions to improve this scheme further. I wish the concept of “Apni Mandi” would