Monsoon woes, missing infra haunt Jassur’s veg hub

The wholesale sabzi mandi at Jassur in Nurpur, a major agri-trade centre in Himachal Pradesh, has long served as a vital 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 offering a direct marketing platform for local produce. Over the years, it has encouraged farmers to shift towards cash crops such as mangoes, cucumber, okra, ridge gourd, bitter gourd, and bottle gourd in this sub-tropical belt.

However, the 2024 monsoon season has cast a shadow over this otherwise thriving mandi. Unseasonal rains have severely impacted crop yield this year, leading to a slump in trading activity. Traders from neighbouring states like Punjab, Haryana and Jammu, who used to regularly visit the mandi to procure fresh produce, are now staying away due to high prices driven by poor availability.

Despite generating an annual market fee of around Rs 24 lakh, the mandi continues to suffer from a lack of basic amenities. Commission agents, growers and traders working from the 31 registered shops at the mandi complain of poor infrastructure and mismanagement.

Ravinder Guleria, president of the Jassur Sabzi Mandi Commission Agents’ Association, pointed out that although the marketing board constructed eight public toilets, they remain unusable due to the absence of water supply, turning them into a public health hazard rather than a facility.

Adding to the woes is the poor condition of the approach road connecting the mandi to National Highway-154. The road is riddled with potholes, making access difficult for transport vehicles—especially hazardous during the ongoing highway widening project. During peak mango season, long queues of trucks and pick-ups are often seen parked dangerously along the highway, increasing the risk of road accidents.

Ironically, the marketing board owns a sizable plot of land behind the mandi complex that could serve as a parking area. However, due to uneven terrain and rain-induced waterlogging, traders are unable to use it. The local trader community has demanded that interlocking tiles be laid to make the land suitable for parking, especially for heavy vehicles bringing produce into the mandi.

Guleria also called upon the state government to introduce a Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) for mangoes, similar to the one in place for apples in upper Himachal regions. With crop yields declining and infrastructure deteriorating, Jassur mandi’s future—and that of the farmers who depend on it—hangs in the balance.