Sahiwal Fruit and Vegetable Market to Move to a New Site in Punjab This Month
Punjab says Sahiwal's fruit and vegetable market will shift to its new site in October. Sheds need 2 to 3 weeks and 55 plots sold for Rs 895 million so far.
The Sahiwal Fruit and Vegetable Market in Punjab is due to move to a new site this month, according to the Punjab government. Construction is complete, the sheds on the main platforms need two to three more weeks, and 55 plots have been auctioned for Rs 895 million since July. No exact moving date has been announced.
Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Food Safety Salma Butt said this on 5 October 2026 while chairing a meeting of the Punjab Agriculture Marketing Regulatory Authority, or PAMRA. PAMRA is the body that oversees the province's wholesale produce markets. The Directorate General of Public Relations issued the official handout on 6 October. We read it.
If you trade in Sahiwal, buy from the mandi or grow vegetables nearby, this is the item to watch. Here is what is confirmed and what is still open.
The Sahiwal market project was stalled for seven years
The development of the new Sahiwal market stopped in 2018 because of a shortage of funds. Work restarted in 2025. The handout says construction and development are now complete, and only the sheds on the main platforms are still being finished.
That is a long wait for traders. The sheds are expected to be ready in two to three weeks from the meeting, which puts them around late October. The Food Safety Secretary, Dr Kiran Khursheed, and the PAMRA Director General, Zeeshan Nasrullah, attended. The handout credits the minister's "special intervention" for restarting the work. We report that as the government's own description. We have not tested it.
The move is planned for October, but no day has been fixed
Salma Butt said the market will shift to its new location during the current month. She said talks with all stakeholders are finished and an agreement has been reached for a smooth transition. The handout names no date, no gate hours and no new address.
So treat October as a target. A shed that needs three more weeks and a move that happens "this month" leave little room for delay. If you rely on the old market, wait for a notice from the market committee or the district administration before you change your supply or delivery plans.
- Ask the Sahiwal market committee office for the moving date.
- Confirm your plot or stall allotment in writing.
- Tell your regular buyers and suppliers about the new site once it is notified.
- Do not pay anyone for a place before the committee confirms it.
Plot auctions raised Rs 895 million but only Rs 286 million has been paid
Auctions of market plots restarted after a gap of ten years. In July, August and September 2026, 55 plots were sold for a total of Rs 895 million. Of that, Rs 286 million has been received and Rs 609 million is still due.
That is about 32% collected. One third of the proceeds goes into the market committee fund within three days, the Food Safety Secretary told the meeting. The release does not say what penalty applies for late payment, or whether plot buyers must pay in full before they get possession. Buyers should read their auction terms.
| Item | Figure reported |
|---|---|
| Plots auctioned, July to September 2026 | 55 |
| Total auction value | Rs 895 million |
| Received so far | Rs 286 million |
| Still outstanding | Rs 609 million |
| Share of proceeds paid to the committee fund | One third, within three days |
Punjab now scores market committees out of 100
On 1 October 2026 the same authority adopted a 100-point formula to rate market committees. Revenue carries 45 points, agricultural industry 20, assets 15 and throughput 15. A committee with 60 points or more is placed in Category A. Below 60 is Category B.
Throughput means the volume of produce passing through the market. The same meeting reviewed the Kasur Fruit and Vegetable Market, where a land boundary dispute with a housing scheme has been resolved after land record checks by PAMRA, revenue teams and the Punjab Land Records Authority. Work has begun on site. The handout puts the cost of the commercial area at more than Rs 3.5 billion.
For a trader, the scoring is the real news. It means a market committee will be judged mostly on how much money it makes. That is a government choice, and it will shape how markets are run. The handout gives no timeline for publishing the scores.
What the move could mean for buyers and growers
The handout says a new site would make buying and selling more organised and give traders better facilities. It gives no figures on prices, fees or transport. We cannot say prices will fall, and nothing in the document suggests it.
Growers should keep their weighing and receipts in order, because a move is when disputes happen. A shopper who sees a price above the official rate can report overcharging in Punjab. Shoppers who want to know whether stalls are overcharging can read how Punjab fined shopkeepers for overcharging. Farmers looking for other support, including the Kisan Card, will find them in Punjab's six schemes for farmers.
Common questions
When will the Sahiwal fruit and vegetable market move?
The Punjab government says during October 2026. No exact date has been announced.
Why was the project delayed?
The handout says it stalled from 2018 because of a shortage of funds. Work resumed in 2025.
Is the new market finished?
Construction and development are complete. Sheds on the main platforms are in their final stage and should take two to three more weeks.
How many plots have been sold?
55 plots in July, August and September 2026, for Rs 895 million. Rs 286 million has been received.
What is the 100-point scoring for market committees?
Revenue 45, agricultural industry 20, assets 15 and throughput 15. A score of 60 or more means Category A, and below 60 means Category B.
What is PAMRA?
The Punjab Agriculture Marketing Regulatory Authority. Its meeting on 5 October 2026 reviewed the Sahiwal project, and its Food Safety Secretary attended.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 8 October 2026. We read two handouts on the Directorate General Public Relations site: the Sahiwal market handout dated 6 October 2026, and the handout on the 100-point formula and the Kasur market dated 1 October 2026 (node 97434). The 32% collection figure is our arithmetic. We did not visit the site or see the new address, and no moving date, fee or stall allocation list has been published. The credit for restarting the work is the government's own statement.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
