With the aim to give better price to farmers, the Karnataka government is planning to procure vegetables and fruits directly from their doorsteps in villages and market them through the outlets of Horticultural Produce Processing and Marketing Society (Hopcoms).
The Horticulture department, which recently got the control of Hopcoms after it was separated from the Cooperation Department, will work out the modernisation plan for Hopcoms and strengthen the retail market network to take on the competition from big retail chains like Reliance Fresh, horticulture minister S K Bellubbi told reporters after the first meeting of the Karnataka State Cooperate Horticultural Marketing Federation to discuss the issues related to Hopcoms, here on Tuesday.
Bellubbi, who held talks with Hopcoms office bearers and its managing director, D L Maheshwar said the Cabinet had decided to develop modernise Hopcoms outlets and make them more appealing to the customers like modern retailers. The objective is to increase the income of the farmers and improve the supply of fresh vegetables, fruits and flowers to the consumers.
The office-bearers had submitted a 11-point charter demanding among others increase in working capital and facilities for marketing, transport and processing of horticulture produce, cold storage network and export.
The meeting also decided to come out with a brand name for Hopcoms products on the lines of ‘Nandini’ milk sold by Karnataka Milk Federation. A suitable brand name is presently being selected, he said.
There are 536 Hopcoms outlets functioning in the state, which together reported a turnover of Rs 60 crore in 2007-08. The Bangalore Hopcoms reported a net profit of Rs 1 crore.
