Prashant Nikale
NASHIK:
Nashikites are queuing up early morning at Shankaracharya Nyas on Ganagapur Road. The queue is not for the yoga classes or any other physical activity, however, it still is related to health. The farmers from rural parts of Nashik bring freshly harvested veggies here. The vegetables are not only fresh but are also organic and grown naturally.
The best part in this is the profits of farmers have increased by 20 per cent and Nashikites get organic food to eat.
From exotics like red cabbage and broccoli to all kinds of leafy vegetables, the stock of three farmers was sold out within 20 minutes. No leftovers and no farmer slashing the rates of his veggies just to sell off his stock. Every second and third Sunday this markets get open at around 9 am and stays still 1 pm. Every time the farmers are getting increased response.
The initiative has been started with the efforts by Rotary Club of Nashik and Professor Hemraj Rajput from Yashwantrao Chavan Open University, Nashik. Around 150-200 farmers are affiliated with the ‘Rotary Organic Bazaar’.
A similar initiative is taking place in Mumbai with efforts of farmers from Nashik Bhagwat Balak from Wadgaon Sinnar, is leading the farm-to-fork concept initiated by a farmer’s group in Nashik, called ‘Vasundhara Sendriya Shetmal Sampadak Shetkari Ghat’, a collaboration of close to 200 farmers that sets up organic farmers markets every 2-3 days a week in Mumbai.
“In 2016, we started this initiative. I always wanted to sell my produce in city like Mumbai and now we have a market place in Juhu. We get 20 per cent higher than usual price we get in our local market. There are around 200 farmers connected to us and 38 farmer groups in the tehsils of Nashik district,”
– Bhagwat Balak, Farmer
“The initiative started with a motive to provide platform to organic farmers. The major issue was with the setting up of a market and proper place for it. We requested Shankaracharya Nyas about our initiative; they immediately gave it green signal. Now, produce of about 150-200 farmers are regularly sold with the help of Rotary Club of Nashik.”
– Prof Hemraj Rajput
“The market starts on second and forth Sunday of every month at around 9 am. Within no time the produce gets sold. Earlier it was a struggle but now the stock gets short and people have to leave empty-handed. We are also thinking of various initiatives under this organic bazaar.”
– Tushar Ugale, Member, Rotary Club, Chairman Organic Bazaar
