The Indian Railways should allow a dedicated ‘vegetable wagon' to be attached to each passenger train so that vegetables can be transported from one part of the country to another, according to the Organic Trade Association (OTA).

This move will help soften prices by 10-15 per cent for organic produce and 30 per cent for conventionally produced vegetables.

This proposal comes when retail inflation shot up to 10.32 per cent in April on substantial rise in prices of vegetables, edible oils and milk.

OTA, a Jaipur-based trade body of organic food producers, farmers, retailers and suppliers, plans to take up the ‘vegetable wagon' proposal with the Railway Ministry.

“Everyone has the right to have good food. However, organic food is considered the food of the rich as it is expensive.

“We want to break this notion. Hence, we need the Government's support,” said Mr Mukesh Gupta, OTA President and Executive Director of the Morarka Foundation, a non-profit organisation that promotes organic agriculture and product development.

Mr Gupta said that ‘vegetable wagons' will bridge the gap in demand and supply of vegetables. Trains would be able to carry about 300 tonnes of vegetables a day with wastage being reduced to 2 per cent compared with the estimated wastage of 60 per cent in the current scenario.

At present, logistics and cold storage are major concerns for the food industry. Mr Gupta pointed out that transporting vegetables from Jaipur to Mumbai by truck costs around Rs 20 a kg, which by train will be less than Rs 5.

Priyanka.pani@thehindu.co.in

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