MULTAN, Oct 16: The district government is ready to give money from CCB funds for the purchase of 32 acres land for an expo centre and packaging house to boost export of fruits, vegetables and flowers, if the federal or provincial government issues a no objection certificate in this regard, the city district nazim said here on Thursday.

The district government has begun a search for land for the expo centre, which will be constructed on 25 acres at the cost of Rs700 million, City District Nazim Mian Faisal Mukhtar told Export Management and Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TADAP) Director General Javed Anwar Khan and office barriers of the Mango Growers Association. The nazim said the packaging house would be constructed on seven acres.

Mukhtar suggested the expo centre and packaging house should be set up at the industrial state, which already had infrastructure, gas, electricity and sewerage facilities.

The suggested place was near the dry port, airport and the planned motorway. He said the district government would seek a special grant from Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani for these projects if it (the district government) was not allowed to finance these projects from CCB funds.

The TADAP official said the land for both projects should be given free of cost. He said the expo centre would be built on the pattern of the one in Karachi. He said a plan regarding a food technology institute in Multan had been finalised.