Punjab horticulture dept launches ‘farm to fork’ programme

The Punjab horticulture department has started a ‘farm to fork’ programme under which at least 854 farmers of five districts – Ludhiana, Amritsar, Mohali, Patiala,

The Punjab horticulture department has started a ‘farm to fork’ programme under which at least 854 farmers of five districts – Ludhiana, Amritsar, Mohali, Patiala, Sangrur and Mansa – have been roped in to supply seasonal vegetables and fruits in the cities and town falling in vicinity of the growers.

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These farmers who grow vegetables over 1,383 acre are part of 48 interest groups. “The idea came in after March 22 when lockdown was imposed. We created informal self-help groups, who supplied fresh produce to resident welfare associations in cities and towns,” said Shailendra Kaur, director horticulture.

Most farmers who were benefited have set up poly-house and shade net house and are engaged in plucking, grading, sorting, making packets and taking produce to consumers’ doorsteps. By May end, 16,500 tonne vegetables and fruits have been sold and some groups are getting bulk orders from outside Punjab.

“We are replicating the model across state and have started converting these informal groups to farmer producer organisations so that they can be self-reliant,” said Kaur.

Gurpreet Singh Shergill, a farmer from Majhal village in Patiala, who has formed farmers’ group ‘Dynamic Diversified Farmers, said the model hhas shown good results.

“We have 13 farmers in our group who have 200 acre to grow vegetables on. They are growing seasonal vegetables since six years and during lockdown they made maximum profits,” said Shergill.