The timely intervention of the Alumni Association of University of Agricultural Sciences-Bengaluru (UAS-B) has helped in rescuing growers of premium variety of grapes in South Karnataka’s grape growing belt of Chikkaballapura and Devanahalli during the times of restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Farmers who cultivate premium variety of grapes such as Red Globe, Sharad, Krishna and Sonalika have now been facilitated by the Alumni Association to sell their produce directly to consumers in Bengaluru.
When traders started taking advantage of COVID-19 and started bargaining to buy at throwaway prices like ₹15 to ₹25 a kg, the Association helped growers bring them to different areas in Bengaluru where a mechanism was created to sell directly with the involvement of local residents’ welfare associations.
“We began sales in Bengaluru from April 7. We were able to sell nearly 300 tonnes of premium grape produce in the last 12 days,” says K. Narayana Gowda, president of the Alumni Association.
The consumers could buy Sharad/Krishna and Sonalika varieties at ₹60 a kg as against ₹ 150 in supermarkets and Red Globe variety at ₹90 as against ₹200 in private shops. “We now want to increase these prices to ₹70 and ₹100 respectively,” Dr. Gowda said. This initiative has helped in stabilising the market for premium varieties as the middlemen themselves have started quoting a farm gate price of ₹60 for these varieties, said some of the farmers.
“I have been growing grapes for the last 30 years. But this is the first time that we are getting money on hand soon after the sales of produce. The middlemen, who used to buy our produce earlier, would pay us in instalments over a period of time,” says Krishnappa, grower of Red Globe grape variety from Harohalli of Devanahalli. Nandagopal, another grape farmer from Harohalli, profusely thanked consumers in Bengaluru. “Some of the consumers even sat with us and carried out the work of weighing the produce. They gave us moral support, gave their mobile numbers and assured us of spreading a word about the quality of grapes among their friends,” he said.
The association is now thinking of finetuning the direct sales mechanism and making permanent arrangements for carrying out such activities from next year.
Interested associations may place orders with Alumni Association Executive Committee member Dr. Gopal through whatsapp, sms or phone on 8197977076 or 9242411611 or with the manager on 9731651925 or via email: alumniuasb83@gmail.com.
