Kota (Rajasthan), Jan 18 (PTI) Rajasthan's Jhalawar district administration has launched the 'Organic Farmer Market Connect' programme -- a common platform for all the stakeholders in the organic farming and trade.

Jhalawar district collector Bharati Dixit earlier this month facilitated the first-ever meet between organic producers, traders and consumers with an aim to create awareness amongst the consumers, encourage traders to register with RSOCA and provide a market for the local organic producers.

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Similar meetings have been planned during the harvesting seasons of both rabi and kharif crops.

Though the organic agri produce market in Jhalawar is at a nascent stage, the district has great prospect for organic farming with its climate type, greater soil fertility (black cotton soil) and ample availability of water.

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As per the Rajasthan State Organic Certification Agency (RSOCA), Jhalawar has only 10 registered individual organic farmers and two groups of farmers comprising around 900 farmers. Mostly wheat, corn, fenugreek, coriander and vegetables are grown by these farmers.

In the absence of a common information platform within the district, these farmers depend on inter-state buyers and organic product retailers, which becomes a costly affair due to long distance logistics and lower rates offered by out-of-state buyers.

The 'Organic Farmer Market Connect' programme aims to provide a common platform for all the stakeholders in the organic farming and trade, collector Bharti Dixit said.

Simultaneously, the Centre of Excellence for Organic Farming, Jhalrapatan shall now provide a helpline for all the stakeholders so that they can connect with each other and ensure authenticity of the produce, she said.

This programme also aims to motivate other farmers and traders to get registered with any certifying body such as RSOCA, SDM, Pedawa and coordinator of the programme Abhishake Charan said.

Devilal Gurjar, a farmer from Saturiyakalan village of Jhalawar engaged in organic farming since 2016, said the absence of a local market for organic produce is the biggest challenge. He said that he has to travel to Nimach and Indore in Madhya Pradesh and to Udaipur cities to sell his produce.

"We have been introduced with organic farmers in the district for the first time in the event under Organic Farmer Market Connect' programme and now we will start purchase of organic produce of our district and the initiative by district administration will prove revolutionary for local organic farming," said local crop trader Kamlesh Shri Radhay.

Organic Farmer Market Connect' programme will certainly help create a database and a common platform for organic farmers, produce and traders, deputy director, agriculture, Jhalawar, Satendra Pathak said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)