Akshayakalpa Farms and Foods Ltd, a certified organic dairy enterprise with its plant at Kodihalli in Channarayapatna taluk, has started procuring non-dairy products including country eggs and bananas from farmers. This initiative has helped around 80 women with backyard poultry and 40 banana growers in the villages spread over Channarayapatna (Hassan) and Tiptur (Tumakuru) taluks.
With an intention to reach out to women farmers, the firm encouraged rural women to have backyard poultries. Those women, who had one or two birds about six months ago, increased the number as they were assured of the market support. Around 80 women have set up backyard poultries, each with about 40-50 birds. Birds of Hampshire, Ghagus, Kadakanath, Mysore Local and Aseel breeds are native varieties. The firm extends the services of veterinarians to the farmers and purchases eggs from them.
“By and large the extension activities are male-dominated and they have limitations. To overcome them, we formed a team of women staff to reach out to women. The response is highly impressive. Within six months, we have achieved significant growth,” said Manjappa Honnappanavar, Manager (TED and Commodity) of Akshayakalpa Organic.
The country egg has more nutrient value than other varieties, given its choline and protein content. The firm procures eggs at ₹12 each from farmers. The technical team conducts anti-biotic tests by taking random samples. Based on customer orders, the eggs are delivered to doorsteps in a specially designed paper box, in which coconut coir is used to avoid damage to eggs. For customers, a box of six eggs costs ₹150.
Kavya R., a resident of Baguru in Channarayapatna taluk, earns about ₹10,000 a month from her backyard poultry with about 60 birds. “The market support from the firm has encouraged me to increase the number of birds. I want to add a few hundred more birds and supply more eggs,” she said.
The firm sells about 1,000 eggs a day. The women farmers are getting on an average of ₹12,000 per month by selling country eggs. “It is not a small amount in the rural economy. Our target is to reach out to 500 women farmers and sell about 10,000 eggs a day,” said Mr. Honnappanavar.
Similarly, the firm procures organically grown traditional bananas (elakki banana) from the growers. It offers seedlings and technical support for the growers. “We purchase green bananas at ₹40 per kg. We provide ripened banana at ₹80 per kg, taking ripening loss, buffer weight loss and other expenses into account”, he said.
At present, 40 farmers are growing bananas. The fruits are ripened naturally and packed using Mutuga (Butea monosperma) leaves to ensure no waste is generated. The extension wing of the firm is making efforts to increase the number. Gradually, the firm wants to procure honey and other farm products.
Akshayakalpa Organic started its operations about 12 years to produce organic milk with the involvement of farmers. Now it gets about 70,000 litres of milk a day.
