Himachal: Jassur’s vegetable producing area is troubled due to monsoon problems and lack of infrastructure

Himachal Pradesh: The wholesale vegetable market located at Jassur in Nurpur, Himachal Pradesh’s major agri-trade hub, has long been a crucial economic lifeline for hundreds of fruit and vegetable growers in the lower Kangra region. Established in 1990, the mandi has played a key role in boosting the rural economy by providing a direct marketing platform for local produce. Over the years, it has encouraged farmers in this subtropical region to turn to cash crops like mango, cucumber, ladyfinger, ridge gourd, bitter gourd and bottle gourd. However, the 2024 monsoon has cast a shadow over this otherwise flourishing mandi. Unseasonal rains this year have severely affected crop yields, leading to a drop in trading activity. Traders from neighbouring states like Punjab, Haryana and Jammu, who used to regularly visit the mandi to buy fresh produce, are no longer coming here due to high prices on account of low availability. Despite earning an annual market fee of about Rs 24 lakh, the mandi is suffering from lack of infrastructure. Commission agents, growers and traders operating from 31 shops registered at the mandi complain of poor infrastructure and mismanagement.

Though the marketing board had constructed eight public toilets, they remain unused due to lack of water supply, making them a public health hazard rather than a convenience, said Ravinder Guleria, president of the Jasoor Sabzi Mandi Commission Agents Association. The poor condition of the connecting road connecting the mandi to National Highway-154 is also adding to the problem. The road is full of potholes, making movement of transport vehicles difficult—especially during the ongoing highway widening project. During the peak mango season, long queues of trucks and pick-up trucks are often seen parked dangerously on the highway, increasing the risk of road accidents. Ironically, the marketing board has a large plot of land behind the mandi premises that could serve as a parking area. However, due to uneven terrain and waterlogging caused by rains, traders are unable to use it. The local trader community has demanded that interlocking tiles be laid to make the ground suitable for parking, especially for heavy vehicles bringing produce to the mandi. Guleria called upon the state government to launch a market intervention scheme (MIS) for mangoes as well, as is applicable for apples in upper Himachal Pradesh. With a fall in crop yield and lack of infrastructure, the future of Jassur mandi and the farmers dependent on it hangs in the balance.