Cauliflowers at Rs 24 a kilo instead of the market rate of Rs 32, lady’s fingers at Rs 30 instead of Rs 40, vegetables can be bought at rates much lower than those in the retail market, thanks to a scheme that involves cooperative organisations of women self-help groups in Badlapur and farmers in Ambernath.

With help from the government, these organisations have been procuring vegetables in bulk from the Agriculture Produce Market Committee in Kalyan and selling these at affordable prices.

The alternative having come at a time when the country is struggling against rising prices, these outlets are invariably crowded. At the Ambernath outlet, outside the station and run by experienced vegetable vendors under the banner of Farmers’ Cooperative, 300-400 kg of vegetables are sold daily. At Badlapur, where the scheme is managed by a women’s cooperative, 125 kg of onions and potatoes and 60 kg of other vegetables are sold daily.

“Because we lacked experience, we started with onions and potatoes, which have a longer shelf life. It was only a week ago that we started procuring vegetables. We have kept fewer greens as we are testing the waters,” said Shaila Borade (35), mother of two and a member of a self-help group in Badlapur.

She said 20 women are involved in the scheme, currently headquartered at the district rural office at Badlapur. And the outlet does not stock plastic bags, she said. “We have made bags from old saris which we give customers at Rs 2,” said Borade.

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