Siliguri: In a major development for pineapple growers and traders in North Bengal, the Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority (SJDA) has announced the reopening of the long-defunct pineapple market in Bhimbar area of Bidhannagar. The market, which has remained closed for nearly a decade due to infrastructural issues, is now on the verge of revival, bringing new hope to thousands of farmers and traders in the region.
Dilip Dugar, Chairman of SJDA recently visited the market site to assess the condition and initiate plans for its reopening. He confirmed that the reopening of the market is a part of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s State-Wide Area Projects (SWAP) initiative.
“This is the Chief Minister’s dream project. We are committed to making it happen. Talks regarding land acquisition have progressed, and we will launch this market very soon. Once operational, it will immensely benefit the traders,” said Dugar.
Bidhannagar is recognised as one of Asia’s largest pineapple hubs, with cultivation spread across several thousand hectares of land.
For the past four decades, however, pineapple farmers and traders have been forced to sell their produce along National Highway No. 31, risking both quality and safety due to the lack of a proper marketplace. Every year, from June to September, the area sees a flood of ripe pineapples destined for markets across the country and overseas. Over 100 traders are currently engaged in the business and have long demanded a permanent and well-equipped marketplace.
The original market in Bhimbar was constructed in 2006 by the Left Front government at a cost of nearly Rs 30 crore. Although stalls were distributed during the Trinamool Congress in 2012, the market could never be made operational due to a critical shortfall—the narrow and underdeveloped road leading to the site. As a result, traders continued operating from roadside setups, while the built-up market infrastructure remained unused.
The road will be repaired and the state government has assured compensation to landowners whose property will be acquired for this purpose.