The Agriculture Department will open as many as 47 Onam markets in Wayanad district from August 17 to August 20 to supply pesticide-free vegetables at subsided prices.
While the department will open 37 markets, the Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam (VFPCK) and the Horticultural Products Development Corporation (Horticorp) will open five markets each.
Vegetables will be procured directly from farmers through the markets by paying 10% above the market price. People can buy vegetables from Onam outlets at prices 30% less than the market rate, department sources said.
Organic vegetables will be procured by offering 20% margin to farmers, and they will be sold at a price 10% lower than the market prices, sources said.
Locally available vegetables will be collected directly from farmers in each market, while others will be procured from Horticorp and sold in the markets. Horticorp has agreed to supply 43 tonnes of vegetables to the markets, the sources added.
