Consumers elated with operation of ‘agriculture ambulance’ in Pokhara

KASKI: Aastha Giri of Machhapuchchhre Tole, Pokhara Metropolitan City-7 was happy to buy fresh vegetables near her house on Monday evening.

Many homemakers like her were crowding to buy vegetables there.

Consumers are happy after the Pokhara Metropolitan City opened a farmer’s mart at Ward No. 7 Ratnachowk from Monday for the sale of vegetables brought by agri-ambulances from different villages.

Holding a bag full of vegetables such as seasonal green vegetables, tomatoes, and bitter gourd in her hand, Astha said, “We used to go to Prithvi Chowk to buy vegetables. We are happy now that we get fresh vegetables so close to our home. To promote the consumption of local products, the metropolis has launched farmer’s markets at various locations in Pokhara, it is said.

The metropolis has launched an agriculture ambulance to bring the agricultural products produced in the village to the market to directly connect consumers with farmers so that the middle man cannot impose high costs to the consumers. The agricultural ambulance has helped in the sale and distribution of vegetables produced in the rural settlements of the metropolis free of cost. Since last year, the metropolis had launched an agricultural ambulance.

Manhar Kadaria, Head of Metropolitan Agriculture and Economic Development Division, said that ‘agriculture ambulances’ connect producers and consumers easily and effectively.

According to him, such markets are conducted once a week in seven places of Pokhara, but due to increasing demand, markets are conducted twice a week in some wards of the metropolis.

Kadaria further said that collection centres have been established at 21 places in the metropolis for the collection of agricultural products produced by small farmers in rural areas and ambulances reach those places and bring the agricultural products to the market.