The Ramzan-Onam fairs, organised by the Kerala State Cooperative Consumers’ Federation Limited (Consumerfed), have created an all-time record in sales and the number of outlets.
The total sales from the fairs, which started from July 6, has crossed Rs 181 crore, while the number of outlets set up during the season is 6,032, against the target of 3,000, Consumerfed president Joy Thomas and managing director Riji G Nair said.
The fairs, which are selling essential commodities with a rebate of up to 52 per cent on the open market prices, will continue till August 28. The minimum rebate being given on the commodities is 18 per cent.
Thiruvananthapuram district has the highest number of outlets (859) while Thrissur district grossed the highest turnover with transactions worth Rs 15.6 crore. The sale from the 14 district-level fairs touched Rs 125.6 crore while Triveni Super Markets contributed Rs 46.44 crore and Nanma stores, which work directly under the Consumerfed, netted Rs 9.06 crore during the period.
Of the total turnover, the gross collection from 13 items on which subsidy is being given stood at Rs 145.29 crore while the sales from non-subsidy items were pegged at Rs 35.82 crore. The state government had earlier sanctioned a financial assistance of Rs 29.5 crore to the Consumerfed to foot the subsidy bill, he added.
Vegetable Fair
The exclusive fairs for selling vegetables, launched from June 27, have also fared quite well through 221 outlets. As many as 15 items are being sold with a rebate of up to 30 per cent. The gross turnover has touched Rs 3.90 crore so far.
Kollam district leads the tally both in number of outlets (24) and turnover (Rs 46 lakh). The market intervention, necessitated by the spiralling prices of commodities in the open market, caused a loss of Rs 80 lakh to the Consumerfed.
“The agency purchased 12 tonnes of vegetables directly from the farmers of Nenmara and Elavancherry areas of Palakkad district where the cultivators, angered by non-availability of judicious prices, were destroying their products. The farmers can now directly sell the products at the district-level fairs,” Thomas said.
