It is 2.30 in the afternoon on Monday. The auction hall at the Urban Agriculture Wholesale Market at Vengeri here is abuzz with weighing, sorting, and labelling of freshly arrived vegetables.
Some people can be seen walking amid small heaps of fresh cucumber, ash gourd, pumpkin, and other vegetables, assessing their quality and the possible price they can be given.
The vegetables are locally produced by farmers from different parts of the district to be auctioned to traders directly.
Neighbouring statesVegetables consumed by people in most part of Kerala may still be from the neighbouring States, but efforts of the authorities, including the Agriculture Department, to promote local farming seem to be yielding results, if the quality and quantity of vegetables arriving for the auction at the Vengeri market are any indication.
From weekly twice (Monday and Thursday), the auction has been made a daily event, considering the increasing demand during the Onam season, says P.K. Muhammed, secretary of the market. Different clusters of farmers in each panchayat take turns in bringing their produce to avoid overcrowding at the market. “There are at present 11 clusters, each comprising over a 100 farmers, under the market,” he says.
Unlike other markets in the district, the entire transaction here is done transparently, without the involvement of any middlemen. “The farmer gets the maximum benefit,” says Mr. Muhammed.
The produce is weighed and sorted before being put up for auction under the auction committee. “The farmers invariably get higher price than that in the outside market for their produce, which is superior in quality compared to the vegetables from other States,” says Narayanan Nair, convener of the auction committee.
Transport chargesMr. Nair says that besides other benefits, the farmers also get transportation charges (Re.1 for one kilogramme) from the market for their produce. “It’s a never-before opportunity for us, since the entire deal is transparent and farmer-friendly here,” says Sreedharan Nair, a farmer from Annasserikkunnu, who has brought cucumber and ash-guard for the auction.
Not only traders, representatives of merchant groups and retailers and anyone interested can participate in the auction and get fresh and locally produced vegetables from the market.
“Anyone from any part of the State can bring their produce, including fruits such as mangoes and papaya, to the market and take part in the auction,” says Mr. Muhammed.
