Chandigarh: Amid a raging debate over the benefits of 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail for growers, farmers in Punjab have proposed to foray into the vegetable retail business by launching their own retail operations to fetch remunerative returns.
A clutch of farmers have stepped on cooperative movement by setting up a Global Healthy Vegetables Marketing Cooperative Society which would undertake vegetable farming through net house cultivation technology on large scale in certain pockets and carry out retailing of produce.
“Our main motive of setting up the society is to put more money into the hands of farmers and offer quality produce to consumers at cheaper rates.
Punjab farmers for vegetables retail business and it is possible through launching our own retail operations by eliminating intermediaries in supply chain,” Global Healthy Vegetables Marketing Cooperative Society, MD, J S Sangh said.
In first of its type in Punjab, Global Healthy Marketing Vegetables Cooperative Society has been set up with a seed capital of Rs 10 lakh each by 10 farmers.
Currently, the society is examining three retail options to find out which is the best one. ?We are discussing whether we open our own outlets or put hawkers or carts into service. We are also in talks with Indian Oil for starting our retail at its fuel outlets,? he said.
In the initial phase, the society would start its retail service at Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Chandigarh. ?In second phase we will look at whole Punjab and Delhi for selling our crop,? he said.
Punjab farmers for vegetables retail business
According to society, farmers could earn Rs 1 lakh per acre from growing and retailing vegetables against income of Rs 20,000-25,000 per acre from traditional crops like paddy, wheat.
As per the proposed plan, the society will rope in over 800 small and marginal farmers from districts like Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala and Nawanshahar for cultivation of vegetables.
?We will also encourage net-house cultivation of vegetables in which minimum of pesticide is used to grow high quality crops which will fetch higher returns,? he said adding that about 400 net houses would be set up for vegetable cultivation.
Punjab farmers for vegetables retail business The society has already taken 10 pack houses and ripening chambers on lease for vegetables. He said there is a plan also to sell few fruits like papaya, banana and mango sourced from other states.
