They want to sign a memorandum of understanding next

Farm fresh veggies from Mysuru are now directly entering the Kerala market from growers themselves, with the Kerala State Horticultural Products Development Corporation (Horticorp) procuring the produce, without intervention of middlemen. In their bid to enhance supplies, the growers are now trying to strike a deal with the Kerala government to formalise the business alliance.

The Raitha Mitra Farmers Producers’ Company, an entity of farmers founded in Mysuru, has been supplying vegetables and fruits to Kerala since April this year after buying them directly from growers, who are partners in the company. On an average, 50 to 60 tonnes of vegetables, sourced from over 225 growers in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts, are supplied to Horticorp thrice a week after minimal processing, such as cleaning and grading.

“We want to enter into an MoU with the Kerala government to make the deal official and expand the supplies, which will eventually benefit our farmers who are facing the menace of middlemen,” said Kurubur Shanthakumar, founder president, Raitha Mitra Farmers’ Producers Company.

Mr. Shanthakumar, who is in Thiruvananthapuram with a team of farmers and key members of the company, told The Hindu over phone that they met Kerala Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar in this connection.

The team also visited Horticorp’s procurement centres at Kollam and Ernakulam, besides Thiruvananthapuram to check how vegetables and fruits transported by the company are handled and distributed at its outlets.

Mr. Shanthakumar said the farmers had a meeting with Horticorp’s top officials on Wednesday and were hoping for a positive outcome on the MoU which authenticates the farmer-to-consumer business venture.

“Small and medium growers supply vegetables directly to our company. We trade at the APMC here and offer a rate fixed by the APMC. Importantly, we make payment to growers on the spot, avoiding middlemen. By supplying to us, farmers are saving the 10% commission to the merchants, two kg wastage on 50 kg produce,” he explained.

Mr. Shanthakumar said Horticorp bears transportation charges (for supplying veggies to its key procurement centres in Kerala) and also cleaning and grading charges. The company gets 5% service charge.

Another interesting feature is that the company has fixed minimum support price (MSP) on six veggies to ensure that farmers do not suffer losses in case of price crash. “If the deal materialises, we may have to buy carrot and cabbage supplied by Horticorp as a goodwill gesture, which will be sold in Mysuru markets,” he said.