DW BUREAU Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Prof Prem Singh Chandumajra today said a new cargo facility would become operational at the Chandigarh airport in Mohali in December this year which would make the region a hub for export of fruits, vegetables and flowers. In a statement here, Prof Chandumajra said he had taken up the issue with union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia who had assured him that the cargo facility was under construction and would be completed by the end of the year. The SAD leader said the new 12,127 square meters facility would encourage export of vegetables, fruits and flowers to the Middle East immediately and other parts of the world depending on augmentation of flights from the international airport. "This will give a big boost to agriculture diversification as due to lack of any ports in the Northern region farmers were finding it difficult to export perishable goods to other countries. The functioning of the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Wagah is also erratic and restricts goods to Pakistan only. Now our perishable goods will be transported to the Middle East in a matter of hours which will boost the revenue of farmers as well as creating more jobs and trade opportunities". He said farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir would be benefitted with the opening of the cargo facility. (editor@dailyworld.in)