Natural & fresh from the farms

CHENNAI : Freshly grown greens from the fields. Naturally sourced honey from the hills. A variety of millets and grains from the villages. The All Women Organic Market conducted every month by Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women is a blessing in disguise for the city. From the first edition that was started in September 2018, the demand for organic produce has grown among city dwellers. This weekend, entrepreneurs and farmers from 32 districts will take part.

There will also be a food court serving traditional delicacies and regional specialities. “We do this the first weekend of every month. What started out with 30 stalls, shot up to 50 in a few months. The main idea is to cut down on middlemen between farmers and customers. This is an initiative to let people taste the fresh reap from the farm. The price factor is also kept in mind.

We didn’t have the market for two months because of elections. People were disappointed and kept inquiring when the next one would be. This shows the demand,” said Senthil Kumar, an executive with Tamil Nadu State Supply and Marketing Society. An increasing number of women have moved towards organic farming and agriculture.

This is a platform to bring them to the forefront. The market will have groceries, millets, vegetables, fruits, oils, jams, pickles and cloth bags. “We get in touch with the district officials to help us with the curation process. After field verification, they send us a list of brands and we pick the desired ones from them to avoid repetition. Sustainability is the way forward,” he said. The All Women Organic Market will be held today and tomorrow at Mother Theresa Women’s Complex at Valluvar Kottam High Road from 10 am to 8 pm.