The fragrance of Udupi Mallige (jasmine), which enjoys the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, might spread wider once the proposal drawn up by the Horticulture Department to create a Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) for the growers gets approval.
Bhuvaneshwari, Deputy Director of Horticulture, told The Hindu that the Directorate of Horticulture in Bengaluru is expected to soon approve the proposal, which will lead to mallige growers getting support right from cultivation to marketing.
Udupi Mallige, also known as Shankarpura Mallige, is cultivated by about 7,000 growers in Shankarpura, Shirva, Innanje, Bantakal, Katapady and surrounding areas in Udupi district. According to the crop survey done in 2018-19, Udupi Mallige is grown on 116 hectares in Udupi, and its production is estimated at 863.55 tonnes, valued at ₹12.09 crore.
The FPO wil get ₹35 lakh as formation cost, ₹15 lakh as working capital, ₹22.5 lakh for machinery, amd ₹10 lakh equity grant from the Small Farmers’ Agri-Business Consortium. The growers will get cold storage facility and godowns under the FPO.
Individual issues of the growers could be taken up by the 50 Farmer Initiative Groups (FIGs), comprising of about 20 farmers, that are proposed to be formed under the FPO. In a build-up to the process, the department has already got 1,000 jasmine growers in the district to agree to join the FPO, which is a requirement, with the help of the NGO Sampada.
“With cold storage facility, Udupi Mallige could be transported to Mangaluru airport, and from there to Mumbai, Bengaluru and the Middle East, where people from Udupi and Dakshina Kannada live, and they can use them for their programmes or functions,” Ms. Bhuvaneshwari said.
Sudheesh Bhandary, who cultivates Udupi Mallige on 50 cents of land at Panjimaru, Shirva, said the hope is the move will help in the export of Udupi Mallige to other countries.
