 "Organic vegetables")
Fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies including ITC and Britannia, on Saturday, evinced an interest in foraying into the business of organic food products and millets.
"Organic products are the future for package food products because more consumers are seeking better ingredients. On behalf of MTR Foods, the company has committed to use more millets in their products and support this initiative," MTR CEO Sanjay Sharma said at the National Organic and Millets Trade Fair 2017 in Bengaluru.
National Head of Buying and Merchandising, Big Basket, Sheshukumar said, Big Basket is propagating the use of organic products among consumers because it is difficult to find all organic products under one roof.
"It is a daring step by the government. No directory was available, but this is a very good thing which will help us link with the farmers directly. Big Basket is propagating the organic products to consumers," he said.
Agriculture Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, in the august company of retailers and FMCG companies, launched "Brand Siri Karnataka," which will ensure millets become rich man's saviour nationally and internationally.
The brand was selected keeping in mind the richness of millets to human health and wellness, he said.
Gowda also launched "Shresta Karnataka", a name selected keeping in mind the importance of organic farming practices to nature, environment and ecology.
"Siri Karnataka and Shreshta Karnataka will facilitate the organised marketing of these high-quality food items," Gowda said.
"We will train farmer groups on grading, packing and quality aspects. This is a big step towards 'From farmers to consumers' direct linkages," he added.
The brand name can be used only by those farmers who are certified or under the certification process, the Minister said.
"Only after three years (IC 1, IC 2, IC 3) are they certified fully organic. Karnataka has the most stringent certification norms of all states," he added.
The farming federations of Karnataka, who engage in organic farming practices and the cultivation of millets, will be offered the usage of these brands to market their products and also earn better incomes through value-added products that could be marketed under these brand names, Gowda said.
Next-generation food startups along with big organised and progressive retailers can get in touch with the organic cell running the programme, the minister added.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
