Punjab has introduced ad valorem market fees on 136 fruits, vegetables and other agricultural products traded through the province’s public markets.

The Punjab Agricultural Marketing Regulatory Authority (PAMRA) notified the new fee schedule on August 13. The fees will be collected by Market Committees based on the sale value of agricultural produce traded in public markets.

The rates differ from product to product and have been determined using the five-year average market prices of the respective commodities.

For example, the notified fee is 0.014 percent for Badana pomegranates, 0.020 percent for Thailand ginger, 0.041 percent for Anwer Ratol mangoes, 0.043 percent for rapeseed and 0.062 percent for lady finger.

The schedule also includes very low rates for several high-value products. Green cardamom carries a fee of 0.001 percent, while pistachios and almonds have rates of 0.002 percent.

The list covers a broad range of agricultural produce, including potatoes, onions, turnips, peas, chillies, rice, fruits, vegetables, pulses, spices, nuts and dry fruits. It also includes higher-value products such as saffron, cardamom, pistachios, almonds and walnuts.

The notification specifies that the charge is an ad valorem market fee linked to the value of produce sold in public markets. It is therefore not a blanket tax on farmers simply for bringing their crops to market.

The new fee schedule has been issued under Section 15E of the Punjab Agricultural Marketing Regulatory Authority Act, 2018, and Regulation 25 of the Punjab Market Committees Regulations, 2026.

The move establishes a product-wise fee structure for agricultural produce traded through Punjab’s regulated public markets.