Kolkata: The Agricultural Marketing department has initiated the process of setting up 10 ‘Commodity Specific Hubs’ at Krishak Bazars across Bengal, aiming to boost farmers’ income through improved post-harvest infrastructure.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has directed the department to utilise vacant spaces in Krishak Bazars and market yards. The hubs, expected to be operational by the 2025–26 fiscal year, are part of that initiative.
Each hub will be equipped with facilities for aggregation, sorting, grading, cleaning, washing, packaging, storage and transportation, allowing farmers to fetch better prices for their produce.
“This infrastructure will help farmers aggregate their produce after post-harvest management, ensuring value addition and reduced perishability. Consumers will also benefit from better quality produce at lower prices,” said Becharam Manna, minister in-charge of the Agricultural Marketing department.
Alipurduar district will get two hubs—a betel nut hub at Madarihat Krishak Bazar and another for banana and papaya at Kamakhyaguri market yard. Darjeeling will set up a ginger hub at Salbari Krishak Bazar, and North Dinajpur will have a maize hub at Karandighi.
Murshidabad will also get two hubs: a mustard hub at Raninagar I and a chilli hub at Hariharpara Krishak Bazar.
Hooghly will see a sesame hub at Pursurah, while East Midnapore will come up with a betel leaf hub at Tamluk. Notably, Tamluk and Kakdwip-Patharpratima in South 24-Parganas are major contributors to betel leaf production in the state.
North 24-Parganas will host a table beet and carrot hub at Deganga Krishak Bazar, while Birbhum will see a logistics hub at the Bolpur principal market yard. A senior official confirmed that the projects will be implemented under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) scheme.