A group of farmers from Junnar tehsil has devised a way to make available vegetables to the city at a cheaper rate — direct marketing.

On Friday, a stall run by farmers was inaugurated at the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) at Market Yard in Gultekdi. The stall, along the lines of the Narayangaon tomato market, will cut out the 8 per cent APMC commission. This means that vegetables at this stall will be sold at a cheaper rate.

Initially, the stock of vegetables will be restricted to a tonne but as the demand picks up, farmers said they will be able to increase the quantity probably by next month.

“Around 130 farmers from Junnar have formed a farmers’ club. They came to us a few weeks ago and requested that the APMC aid them with direct marketing of their produce. We agreed and thus allotted a stall to them to sell their vegetables directly to consumers,” said Satish Kothmire, administrator, APMC. “As they don’t have to pay commission to middlemen, they are also not hiring labour and hence their vegetables are bound to be cheaper,” Kothmire added.

With only one stall, farmers are trying to replicate what is already in place in Narayangaon’s tomato market. Started in 2004, farmers at the tomato market quote their own price for their produce without giving any cuts or commissions to agents or to the APMC.

“ While consumers will benefit as they will get the vegetables at cheaper rates, farmers will also benefit as they will get more money for their produce. Sometimes when they trade through the APMC, there are always doubts whether the entire weight of the produce is being duly registered. In direct selling, this will not be an issue,” said Shriram Gadhave, one of the farmers. For the time being, the stall will remain open till 10 am. “But when the demand increases, we will get more produce and will be open till afternoon,” said Gadhave.

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