B Senthilkumar, Executive, TN State Supply and Marketing Society, talks about the upcoming edition of All Women Organic Market and how demand has been pushing women entrepreneurs to boost their business.
B Senthilkumar
Chennai:
The two-day event, promoting organic produce and value-added products by women from across districts will be held at the Annai Theresa Women’s Complex on March 2 and 3.
How has the organic market edition changed the approach of SHGs participating in it?
The women Self Help Groups that have been dealing with greens and fruit, along with grocery items, have been seeing a boost in their business. Moreover, since the focus is on organic products, there is a considerable demand for gardening tools as there are a number of people in Chennai carrying out organic gardening. Following the plastic ban, there has been a remarkable rise in demand for substitutes like areca nut products, mandharai leaves, palm leaves, etc. It is a win-win situation for all of them batting for healthy and environmental friendly products.
How have the groups been selected?
We have district officers visiting each of the groups and certifying if their products are 100 per cent organic. Only those with the certification are allowed to participate in the market, as we want to ensure it is 100 per cent organic.
What are the variety of products?
There are products like detergents, food items and value-added food products, seeds, plants, greens and seasonal fruits and vegetables. In fact, in the previous edition, jackfruit was a huge hit.