Farmers float own mart to sell their produce

Hubballi: Farmers of two villages in Ranebennur taluk of Haveri district have floated their own Bhoomika Rural Mart under the aegis of Bhoomika Farmers Producers Sauharda Sahakari Niyamit with the support of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) and other organisations.
The move gains significance as several initiatives by the government amid the pandemic, such as online procurement of produce, failed to help farmers due to the involvement of middlemen.
As many as 527 farmers from Menasinahal and Itagi launched the new venture with a share capital of Rs 2 lakh around 10 months ago and now their turnover has reached Rs 30 lakh and profit is Rs 2.2 lakh.
Speaking to TOI, Bhoomika chairman Shivappa Mudenur said they have set community-based millet processing unit to offer better services to stakeholders, enhance the agricultural production and improve income level of small and marginal farmers in the region. “We are focusing mainly on branding jowar, which is staple food of North Karnataka region, and finger millet. Apart from this we are cleaning, grading, destoning, dehulling, polishing, reducing size, packing and labelling all types of millets and its products,” he said.
Bhoomika chief executive Halesh Shivalingappanavar said the organisations obtained a loan of Rs 15 lakh from Nabkissan and set up a solar-based millet processing unit with the help of Selco Foundation, Bengaluru. “Concern India Foundation offered donation of Rs 2.5 lakh for machinery. We were selling our products directly from our units earlier and we set up our first outlet last month where farmers can also buy organic fertilisers, quality seeds and other agri-related products,” he said.
Vanasiri Rural Development Society executive director S D Baligar, who is also the promoter for Bhoomika, said it took almost two years to sensitise, unite and train farmers for the new venture. “Now we have handed over it to farmers and we expect a turn over of Rs 3 crore in next three years,” he added.
Mahadev Keerti, district development manager, Nabard, Haveri, said Bhoomika has shown better performance in last 10 months. “Nabard is always ready to help farmers’ organisations for sustainable development,” he added.
CAPTUON
Jowar, Finger millet and other millets processing unit is set by farmers owned Bhoomika Farmers Producers Sauharda Sahakari Niyamit in Itagi, Ranebennur taluk, Haveri district.