Patna: Bihar government has taken a big step to support vegetable farmers by opening a new cooperative centre in Bikram block of Patna district. The centre, built at a cost of Rs 96 lakh, was inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary and Cooperative Minister Dr Prem Kumar. Local MLA Siddharth Saurav and senior officials from the Cooperative Department were also present at the event.
This new facility is spread over 10,000 square feet and has several important features to help farmers. It includes a 10-tonne cold storage unit, a 20-tonne warehouse, a vegetable collection centre, and a shed for sorting, grading, and packaging vegetables. An office space has also been built so that the cooperative society can manage all operations in one place. Officials say these facilities will help farmers keep their vegetables fresh, reduce spoilage, and sell them at better prices.
Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary said this project is part of the state government’s plan to set up vegetable centres in all 534 blocks of Bihar within two years. He also said that land for these centres will be provided by the Agriculture Department. The government also plans to export vegetables from Bihta Airport to international markets such as Bangkok, Dubai, Sharjah, and Thailand, which will give farmers new income opportunities and make Bihar a hub for vegetable exports.
Cooperative Minister Dr Prem Kumar said these centres will ensure that farmers get fair prices for their crops. With facilities like washing, cleaning, sorting, grading, and cold storage, farmers will be able to use modern technology and supply high-quality vegetables to the market. This will also prevent wastage of vegetables and increase the income of farmers.
The Cooperative Department has already approved the construction of similar infrastructure in 109 other Primary Vegetable Producers’ Societies across Bihar, each costing about Rs 96 lakh. The “Vegetable Outlet Construction Scheme” aims to give farmers a direct market to sell their vegetables and make fresh produce available to consumers at fair prices. Officials say this scheme will also encourage farmers to work together through cooperatives, strengthening rural communities and boosting Bihar’s economy.
