From farm to market, all in a day’s work

After a two-year hiatus forced by Covid-19 pandemic, about 20 groups dot 16 farmers’ weekly markets in the city and are operating in full swing

Mumbai: Any farmer, at the farmers’ weekly market called the Swami Samartha Shetkari Athavda Baazar in Shivaji Park, will tell you that the real power of a humble vegetable like an onion is not to be underestimated. With all his wisdom, he will claim that onions can make governments collapse and its price rise can make customers cry but, when it sells, it makes a farmer happy.

Mumbai, India - March 16, 2023: People buy vegetables and fruits at Samartha's Farmers Market near Sambhaji Maidan, at Mulund (East), in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, March 16, 2023. (Praful Gangurde/HT Photo) (HT PHOTO)

After a hiatus of more than two years owing to the Covid-19 pandemic that broke out in March 2020 and which saw them move from open spaces to housing societies, farmers’ markets are back in all their glory across the city.

“Post Covid, all weekly markets in Mumbai, where farmers have turned into associates and full-grown entrepreneurs, are operating in full swing,” said Rajesh Mane, founder chairman of Swami Samarth Shetkari Utpadak Co. Ltd, who organises the 16 weekly farmers’ markets in Mumbai.

“Today, each farmers’ market records a footfall of at least 3,500 customers, and one market sees a turnover of at least ₹8 lakh in a day. With no mediator or a middleman, all the money directly goes to the farmers,” said Mane.

About 20 farmers’ group comprising 20 farmers each dot the 16 weekly farmers’ market in Mumbai. On Saturdays, the weekly farmers’ market is organised at YB Chavan Centre near Nariman Point, and at Shivaji Park in the evenings. On Sundays, the weekly market moves to Lalbaug, to Chembur on Tuesday, Worli on Wednesday, Mulund on Thursday and Goregaon on Friday.

With a turnover of ₹120crore per annum, Rane said these markets have altered the lives and outlook of those coming from the state’s hinterlands. Incidentally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared their success mantra in his Mann Ki Baat programme in 2020.

In the ninth year of selling their fresh produce at these weekly markets across Mumbai, the farmers have emerged as successful and confident entrepreneurs, who have a great sense of pride and self-respect.

Every farmer owns a home and a four-wheeler today, has built storage tanks for their farms and invested the extra money they earn into their farms. There is a supply chain with 250 vehicles for Pune and Mumbai to deliver vegetables directly from the farm. The produce is organic without the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides.

Worli resident Dr Manisha Kulkarni, professor of endocrinology from the Institute of Science, who has been a regular consumer for two years, visits the farmers’ market every weekend.

“The produce is of good quality and organic. These are small scale farmers and the price is lesser than local market,” said Kulkarni, who also buys grains and pickles from them. “Grains like masoor dal come from Belagavi, peanuts are from Kolhapur. Essentially, we are supporting farmers from every part of Maharashtra.”

Gauri Kulkarni wishes the market was held twice a week. “The farmers don’t cheat while weighing. The paneer is so fresh. The coriander lasts a week compared to local market which wilts in three days. When cooked, the vegetables taste different and better,’ said the Mulund resident.

FARM TO THE CITY

Plucked and harvested from the farm, the produce without hazardous chemicals and pesticides reaches the customer on the same day.

At 7am, the harvesting of vegetables and fruits begins, which is completed by 10-11am. Every village has at least 20 farmers and the produce goes to collection and segregation centre where all the vegetables and fruits along with foodgrains are collected.

“Only vegetables of good quality are transported to the farmers’ market. There are 20 groups of farmers and each group comprises 25-30 farmers, who sort out vegetables. One farmers market produces 10-12 metric tonnes of vegetables and fruits. At 12.30-1pm, they start off for weekly market and arrange the set up and kiosks. By 3pm, they start selling. It’s been nine years and going good for the farmers,” said Mane.

The farmers come from villages in Manchar, Junnar, Narayangaon, Shikrapur, Shirur, Saatvad, Shivri to Pune and their produce gets transported to Mumbai.

“In the absence of a mediator or a middleman, each group takes home ₹2,500 in a day. The one operating this market is a farmer’s son and he is directly giving the money to the farmers and each stand to gain by 30%. Earlier, for a ₹10 product the farmer used to get ₹5. Now, he gets ₹12,”elaborated Mane.

A farmer from Hapsar in Pune, who sells at Lalbaug, said he camps in Mumbai for six days as he sells in six weekly markets. “We are profiting since there is no cost of transportation or any middlemen involved. I make a profit of ₹30,000 in a month and I sell 100 bags, weighing a kilo each, of onions and potatoes in a week,” he said.

As a result of the profitability, farmers have become successful entrepreneurs and their families too are growing. “There is not a single farmer who doesn’t own a vehicle or a house,” said Tushar Khule, a farmer sells organic rice, pulses, wheat, vegetables, cold pressed oils and even shampoo bars from goat milk without glycerine or shea butter.

“In our daily markets, the produce comes from conventional farming where pesticides and chemicals, which leaves the produce with lead, sulphur and arsenic residue, are not used. We are indirectly consuming that and suffer various ailments and lifestyle diseases. Our organic foods are free from all those residues,” said Khule.

Other than fresh vegetables and fruits, the farmers’ markets in Worli, Shivaji Park, Mulund, Goregaon, Lalbaug and Nariman Point have stalls set up by women, who sell homemade masalas, papads, pickles, Maharashtrian delicacies such as kharvas, ghee and fresh paneer.

“Their husbands are not working and women from Mahila Bachat Gat support their families. The farmers’ market has also become a get together point for homemakers who meet their friends here,” said Mane.

Mumbai’s first farmers’ market

The city’s first fully organic market was started in 2010 by Kavita Mukhi, an eco-nutritionist and a pioneer in organic foods in the country, in Bandra west at DMonte Park, the market has now shifted to YMCA Bandra, off Carter Road.

“One of the main reasons (to start the market) was to ensure that children of farmers are able to continue and pass on the agricultural wisdom that is handed over to them from their previous generation,” said Mukhi. “This is their 14th year of selling in Bandra and their children, now in their twenties, are in the line of farming. Materially they have done well, and have built water tanks and got vehicles to lead better lives. “

Mukhi’s organic farmers’ market is held every Sunday through out the year. Mukhi said farmers, who come to Bandra west have also become savvy. “The sad thing is that we have to reprimand them when they wrap veggies in plastic. The wet waste gets recycled and either goes to the farm or goes to composting units. The whole idea is not to have any waste at the market and our endeavour is zero-waste,” said Mukhi.