KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 09

Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Padma Kumari Aryal inspected the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market today.

During the inspection, Minister Aryal directed the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Market Development Board to submit a report on the current status of the market. The minister has summoned the board on February 13 with information regarding current status of the market and future plans to better manage the market.

She further directed the board to improve the garbage management in the market.

During the inspection, Minister Aryal has vowed to create a conducive environment for the farmers to fetch reasonable price for their produce at the Kalimati market.

She further committed to regulate the market so that the farmers could be directly connected to the Kalimati market traders.

'Our major challenge is to increase our production and promote them,' she said, 'Now we have to think about how we can better manage the market, how to create balance between farmers and traders and how to put an end to the middlemen in the agriculture sector.'

She committed to find a solution to these issues soon.

The government is working on creating a policy that will encourage production and market management, she added.

She also expressed her appreciation to the board for setting up a well appointed laboratory within the premises of the market and requested the board members to play a proactive role in promoting healthy food. Meanwhile, she said that the ministry will take an initiative to establish Central Fish Promotion and Preservation Centre at Balaju.

A version of this article appears in the print on February 10, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.