The surge in demand during the Onam season has brought out a new flavour to the vegetables market with locally produced varieties coming into the market in a big way.
“Around 70 per cent of the vegetables being sold in the market are locally produced,” said an official of the Department of Agriculture, who pointed out that only those types of vegetables grown in cold climes were being brought in from other States. Of course, the official said, for produce like onions and potatoes, the State depends almost entirely on other States.
A farmers’ group leader from North Paravur P. B. Vijayan said that there was significant increase in local production of vegetables. The rise is more than 30 per cent, he said, pointing out that around 1,000 tonnes of vegetables produced by more than 1,200 farmers in the Paravoor area were up for sale during this Onam season. The production stood at around 700 tonnes last year, he added.
Another official of the department said that there had been considerable increase in production of items like tomtato, green chillies, bitter and ash gourds, vegetable cowpea as well as brinjal. He, however, did not specify the quantum of increase but said that that the climatic conditions in the State were ideal for some of the items like tomato during the last season.
Local production has also been helped by initiatives by political parties, cooperative societies and voluntary bodies, which have opened stalls selling vegetables produced by them in different parts of Kochi.
Farmers’ gain
Mr. Vijayan said that the rise in local production and direct sales by farmers had resulted in them getting over 90 per cent of the sales price. For instance, out of the Rs.95 per kg price of vegetable cowpea, the farmer gets Rs.90. He said there were around 1,200 farmers’ groups under the Palliyakkal Service Cooperative Bank, near Paravoor.
