Facelift to Anandapuram flower market

Visakhapatnam: Anandapuram Flower and Vegetable Market, which is one of the biggest markets in north Andhra region, would get a face-lift soon. Minister for HRD Ganta Srinivasa Rao announced that the government would construct two market yards for flowers and vegetables with cold storage facilities.  

In fact, the flower and vegetable farmers are demanding that the government create separate markets yards with cold storage facilities. However, during the past three decades, the government was not considering the farmers demand. Presently, hundreds of farmers, who are coming from various villages from Anandapuram, Tagarapuvalasa and Bheemili mandals, selling their produce under scorching heat and rains.

Wholesale dealers and the traders are visiting the market after 11 am even though the farmers are arriving at the market in the early hours to sell the flowers and vegetables. The farmers are waiting for the buyers under temporarily erected tarpaulins for selling their produce at a cheaper price as they wish to return to their homes after lunch session. 

In fact, the event managers and flower traders are coming to Anandapuram market as all varieties of flowers are available there. The people from restaurants, hotels, hostels and caterers also will procure the vegetables from Ananadapuram market at a large scale.

HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, along with the officials from marketing, agriculture and horticulture departments, on Tuesday visited the market and interacted with the farmers. The farmers poured out their woes to the minster and asked him to create infrastructure with cold storage facilities to ensure good price to their produce. The minister went around the market and observed needs of the market.  

Assuring the farmers that facilities exclusively for flower and vegetable markets would be created with cold storage facilities. He assured that he would convene a meeting with the officials concerned immediately to construct the market yard. The markets would be constructed with basic infrastructure, he added.

The minister also directed the officials to list out the farmers and traders who are depending upon the market and issue identity cards. While observing the farmers community hall which is in a dilapidated condition, the minister directed the Zilla Parishad officials to take up the repair works of the building without delay.