Guwahati: Pamohi and Fancy Bazar markets provide city with required vegetables

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Long before the city awakens, Guwahati’s wholesale vegetable markets are already alive. The clatter of crates, the hum of bargaining voices, and the earthy scent of fresh produce fill the air. Often overlooked amid the city’s fast-changing urban narrative, these markets form the beating heart of Assam’s food economy, ensuring that every household and restaurant across the region remains supplied.

Among them, Pamohi wholesale market near Garchuk and Fancy Bazar in the city’s core stand out as two of the most influential hubs, each with its own rhythm and character. Together, they feed not only Guwahati but much of Lower Assam and even neighbouring states.

Pamohi, a sanctioned fruits and vegetables wholesale mandi under the Assam State Agricultural Marketing Board (ASAMB), is relatively new yet strategically important. Located about 15–20 kilometres from central Guwahati, it operates as a formal, regulated trading point for bulk buyers and retailers. The market is favoured for its official pricing system, better accountability, and periodic checks for pesticides and other chemicals — factors that ensure both fairness and safety in the city’s supply chain.

“Everything here depends on quantity,” said a seller at Pamohi. “The more vegetables that come in, the lower the price. If there’s a shortage, rates rise immediately.” On a typical day, wholesale rates hover between Rs 35 and Rs 50 per kilogram — potatoes and onions sell at Rs 35, tomatoes between Rs 45 and Rs 50, chillies at Rs 60, and carrots around Rs 70 per kilogram.

In contrast, Fancy Bazar, the oldest commercial hub in Guwahati, operates with a different tempo. Despite being synonymous with retail chaos, its inner lanes host one of the city’s most established wholesale fruit and vegetable trades. “We get all types of fruits and vegetables here at a low price,” said a buyer, listing everything from dragon fruit and star fruit to kiwi. “It’s convenient — everything is available in one place.”

However, Fancy Bazar’s strength — its central location — also brings challenges. Its dense urban setup makes it prone to congestion, inconsistent quality standards, and price variations. “I feel like Fancy Bazar is overrated,” one buyer admitted. “Street vendors often charge more for lower-quality vegetables.”

For instance, a kilogram of tomatoes costs around Rs 60 at Pamohi but only Rs 50 at Fancy Bazar, largely because of the higher volume of produce entering the central market. Yet, this advantage comes at the cost of informal pricing and fluctuating standards, reflecting the thin line between retail and wholesale activity that defines Fancy Bazar’s ecosystem.

These contrasts reveal the dual nature of Guwahati’s food distribution system. Pamohi caters primarily to bulk traders, supermarkets, and retailers seeking regulated operations and consistent quality, while Fancy Bazar serves daily consumers and small vendors who rely on flexibility and accessibility.

Despite their differences, both markets remain indispensable. They sustain thousands of livelihoods — from farmers and transporters to vendors and loaders — and help keep food prices across the city relatively stable despite economic fluctuations.

City planners, however, face a complex challenge. Proposals to relocate the wholesale segment of Fancy Bazar aim to ease congestion but risk disrupting long-standing market networks. Experts warn that any relocation must be carefully designed to avoid damaging livelihoods or destabilizing the informal supply web that has sustained Guwahati’s kitchens for decades.

As the sun sets over the Brahmaputra, trucks leave Pamohi for the city’s retailers, while Fancy Bazar winds down after another frenetic day. Different in structure but united in purpose, both markets continue to nourish Guwahati — quietly, efficiently, and indispensably — forming the green arteries that keep the city alive.

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