The Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam (VFPCK) has denied any move to take a percentage from the sales turnover of markets run by farmers’ self-help groups across the state.
Chief Executive Officer Sivaramakrishnan V. said on Saturday that the allegations made by VFPCK were baseless and untrue. He said any such move must come from the government, and the decision must be made by the agriculture minister, who is also the chairman of the council. He said that allegations are being leveled against VFPCK without knowing the facts.
VFPCK is a company, formed in 2001 to promote the development of fruits and vegetables in a state with a majority of farmers. Farmers’ self-help groups hold 50% of the shares, while the rest is held by the government (30%) and financial institutions.
Farmers’ Self Help Groups, which now number around 10,000, are the engine at the heart of VFPCK’s mission for total empowerment of farmers through enhancement of collective bargaining power through creation of farmers’ markets operated by them. Other goals include helping farmers adopt advanced production techniques, collective input sourcing and access to microfinance.
The farmers’ cluster, under which there are now about 2.5 lakh farmers, comprises 15 to 20 commercial fruit and vegetable cultivators, based on neighborhood premises. These group members meet regularly, interact and act as a unit with mutually agreed principles and norms.
Other major activities of VFPCK include seed and sapling production, for which it has facilities at Alathur and Nadukkar, near Muvattupuzha respectively. VFPCK sources said the council has also launched for sale locally produced ‘Nendran’ bananas under the brand name ‘Thalir’, which has seen a steady growth in Malappuram district. In addition, the council has established a pack house for vegetables and fruits for export at Wayanad and Thrissur. The facility in Wayanad has now been leased out to a private agency, while the business at the Thrissur facility is yet to commence.