Prime Minister Jugnauth Inaugurates The National Wholesale Market

Prime Minister Jugnauth stressed that the NWM aims to provide adequate wholesale and auction facilities for agricultural products, while improving the livelihoods of farmers in the non-sugar cane sector and providing quality products. at an affordable price for consumers. He pointed out that it will also ensure more transparency, accountability and traceability of the source of agricultural products, and build a modern marketing infrastructure for processing fruits and vegetables.

The Prime Minister urged all growers to adhere to the protocols in place to ensure they provide the best quality products to consumers. He said several regulations need to be adopted to ensure the optimal use of the NWM, through which around 35% of local products are expected to pass.

He also recalled the government's objective to encourage the population to consume as much as possible what is produced locally in order to reduce the country's imports. He also dwelt on a series of programs put in place by the government to better support planters, producers and those who wish to join the agricultural sector.

Prime Minister Jugnauth stressed the importance of organic farming and called on all actors in the agricultural sector to take advantage of all the facilities made available to them. The NWM, he observed, is part of the government's vision of a modern country that promotes food security for its people and meets the needs of planters.

For his part, Minister Gobin pointed out that the NWM will be operational from today and that it will provide planters with a more hygienic space to sell their products to wholesalers and customers in an effective and efficient manner. He pointed out that the NWM will be a game-changer in the sector.

In addition, he indicated that the second phase of the project, based on the French model, will soon be implemented in order to further modernize the NWM.

The NWM, built on 30 acres of land and spanning 5,400 square meters, includes a planters market, wholesale market, extension auction and adequate parking spaces. It will operate five days a week except Wednesday and Sunday.

The project includes the transfer of the three existing auction markets (Port Louis, Flacq and Vacoas) to a single place equipped with modern facilities and the possibility for producers to sell directly to retailers.