The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Horticorp set to meet Onam demand

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Friday, Jul 10, 2009
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Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Horticorp set to meet Onam demand

Staff Reporter

About 60 p.c. of vegetables to be sourced from within the State

KOCHI: Kerala State Horticultural Products Development Corporation (Horticorp) and Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam (VFPCK) are finalising plans to ensure that vegetable supplies are normal and their prices under control during the coming Onam season.

An official of Horticorp said that there will be 10 special stalls in Ernakulam and the surrounding areas during the run up to Onam this year and that the prices will be substantially lower at the Horticorp stalls compared to the open market.

During the last season, Horticorp sold vegetables at a discount of 20 per cent. The actual saving made by the customers will be much higher because Horticorp offers 20 per cent discount on the purchase price, said the official.

There is no fear of any shortage in the market during the festival season and there is no indication that prices will vary substantially, although the current trend points to prices holding firm in the coming months.

The run up to the last Onam saw brisk sales at Horticorp outlets and some of these outlets recorded a total sale of Rs. 28 lakh over four days.

Despite a general impression about a paucity of vegetables grown in Kerala for the season, the Horticorp official said that about 60 per cent of the vegetable requirement during the festival season is met by supplies from within the State.

The Onam season sees the vegetable cultivation touching a peak and most farmers gear their harvesting with an eye on the Onam market. This has ensured that local favourites are available in large quantities in Kerala itself.

Meanwhile, VFPCK will finalise its plans for the Onam season by next week, it is learnt. The Council has under it 1.27 lakh farmers organised into 6,572 self-help groups, which run 205 markets.

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