The Cooperation department of Maharashtra has decided to launch a new initiative for the marketing of agriculture products of farmer producer companies and rural cooperatives by allowing their sale in urban housing societies.
Under the initiative, the farmer-producer companies, farmer groups and other cooperatives will be able to sell produce such as vegetables, dairy products, grains and processed foods directly to housing societies in urban areas such as Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nagpur and other cities.
The products would be sold in shops or vehicles parked within the premises of the housing society. The responsibility of running the shop will have to be borne by housing societies. A senior Maharashtra government official said that for setting up the shop, a minimum of 100 sq ft space would be required and the expenses for it should be borne by housing societies.
The idea is to provide the farmers with an assured market, while the city dwellers will get farm produce at cheaper rates.
Such a direct sale will eliminate a number middlemen and their margins, the official said.
For providing a definite shape to the initiative, the Cooperation department issued a Government Resolution (GR) on October 4. The GR said the housing societies will enter into a three-year agreement with farmer producer companies and rural cooperatives for the continuous supplies. The rates of the farm produce can be fixed by mutual consent of parties.