The horticulture wing of the agriculture department is planning to set up retail shops to sell fruits and vegetables in a hygienic environment.

Sources said residents are often forced to buy vegetables from roadside vendors owing to the lack of spick-and-span supermarkets in the city. The shops opened by the agriculture department would be clean, centrally air-conditioned and have proper display of grade and price tags.

Deputy director, horticulture, Nitesh Rai said: “We have planned to open the retail outlets because most vendors sell vegetables and fruits in unhygienic conditions. People might fall sick after consuming these vegetables. The retail shops would not only take care of the hygiene factor but would also display graded vegetables.”

Grading of fruits and vegetables is a major part of post-harvest management. Taking agro-climatic conditions into considerations, the products are graded according to size, shape, weight and quality. It is important as people are getting more quality conscious day by day.

Rai said: “Vegetables and fruits are stocked in supermarkets according to grades. Vegetables, which have similar quality, would be stocked in the same place. It would be attractive to the customers.”

Five such shops would be opened in Patna this financial year (2013-14). More could be opened in the other districts the next financial year (2014-15).

The deputy director of horticulture said the wing had received Rs 25 lakh from the Union government under National Horticulture Mission — a Centre-sponsored scheme to promote the holistic growth of the horticulture sector.

Rai said the wing would enlist the services of non-government organisations to set up the retail outlets. “The NGOs would be provided Rs 5 lakh to develop the infrastructure. They would tie-up with farmers and buy the produce directly from them.”

HYGIENE FOCUS

Project

Retail shops of vegetables and fruits

Facilitator

Horticulture wing

Goal

Ensure hygienic products

Residentspeak “Vendors often sell rotten vegetables. The government retail shops would not indulge in such practices” Minati Sinha, Boring Road resident

Minati Sinha, Boring Road resident