The Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, inaugurated the National Wholesale Market (NWM) on Thursday 27 July at Five Ways, Belle Rive, Wooton, a project worth approximately 450 million that aims to modernise the sector and bring efficiency, market transparency, and consumer satisfaction. The Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Local Government and Risk Reduction Management, Dr Mohammad Anwar Husnoo, Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr Maneesh Gobin, Ministers, Members of Parliament, and other dignitaries attended the inaugural ceremony. Prime Minister Jugnauth stated in his statement that the NWM intends to provide enough wholesale and auction facilities for agricultural produce while enhancing the financial livelihood of non-sugarcane planters and offering quality produce at an accessible price to consumers. He added that it will also provide greater openness, accountability, and traceability of agricultural produce’s origins, as well as a modern marketing infrastructure for the processing of fruits and vegetables.
The Prime Minister advised all planters to follow current protocols in order to provide the greatest quality goods to consumers. He stated that many restrictions must be implemented to enable the best possible use of the NWM, through which around 35% of local produce is expected to transit. He also highlighted the government’s goal of encouraging people to consume as much locally produced food as possible in order to reduce the country’s reliance on imports. He went on to discuss a number of government initiatives aimed at better supporting planters, producers, and individuals looking to enter the agricultural sector. Furthermore, Prime Minister Jugnauth stressed the importance of bio-farming and urged all agricultural players to take advantage of all available resources. He highlighted that the NWM fits into the Government’s objective of a modern country that promotes food security for its people while also meeting the demands of growers.
Source: https://agriculture.govmu.org/Slider/SitePages/Prime-Minister-Jugnauth-inaugurates-National-Wholesale-Market.aspx
