Organised organic market ready to get going in Prayagraj, trial begins
The first of its kind organised organic market set up by government for selling agricultural produce is all set to get functional at the Mundera Mandi in Prayagraj by Independence Day
The first of its kind organised organic market set up by government for selling agricultural produce is all set to get functional at the Mundera Mandi in Prayagraj by Independence Day.
The market has already kick-started on a trial basis with effect from Thursday and will become fully functional with its formal inauguration by August 15, said officials.
Over 6,500 farmers from 110 villages located on the banks of Ganga are expected to be benefitted in sale and marketing of organic produce by this move aimed at promoting organic farming in the region and dissuade farmers from using urea and other chemical fertilisers, they added.
The pilot trial of the state’s first organised organic market began on Thursday in Mundera Mandi, said deputy director of agriculture, Prayagraj, SP Srivastava.
He said that the organic market has started functioning from August 1 in the Krishak Vishram Griha of Mundera Mandi. “It has been presently started as a pilot trial which is proving to be successful. It was started in the presence of chief development officer Gaurav Kumar. On the first day of the organic market, 12 farmers and organic producers producing organic products set up stalls here,” he added.
He said that presently this market will be held once a week every Thursday and then will be held daily in view of the demand and availability of organic products here.
Under the Namami Gange scheme in Prayagraj, 9,554 farmers are practising organic farming in 110 villages located on the banks of the Ganga in Prayagraj.
Vijay Singh, head of the Pandeshwarnath Krishak Utpadak Sangathan, said that 346 organic farmers are associated with just him, who produce organic vegetables.
“There was no permanent platform for the sale of the organic agricultural products till now, but finally they have now got this in the form of the new organic market,” he added.
Around 1,200 organic farmers are growing various organic crops under the aegis of farmer producer organisation (FPO) Jalodari Mahila Agro of Tikri Kala village of Prayagraj.
FPO head Rashmi Shukla said that with the opening of the new organic market, now their farmers will not have to worry about finding buyers for their produce.
Head of Urva organic farmers producer organisation Sandeep Kumar Upadhyay said that his FPO grows organic wheat, barley, millet and pulses. Selling them on the e-commerce platforms was cutting into their profit margins and impacting sales as the products became expensive for the end buyers. But now with the district getting its own sales and marketing platform, their sales will increase, he said.
CDO-Prayagraj Gaurav Kumar said that that in the coming months some more outlets would be opened in the city for selling organic agricultural produce through the municipal corporation. Outlets for organic agri products may also be made available during the upcoming Mahakumbh-2025 as the event could provide to be a big market for this produce and a site for promoting them among the masses, he added.