Karnataka’s first of its kind National Trade Fair – Organics & Millets 2017 successfully concluded on April 30 with business potentials worth Rs.100 crore generated for farmers. More than 45 buyers emerged with a long term business potential and MoUs were signed between farmer federations and leading brands during the Trade Fair.
The Trade fair was a boon for both Producers and Institutional buyers in terms of providing marketing opportunity and exposure to farmers in packing, branding, consumer behaviour, market requirement etc. In the last three days, the fair saw more than 48000 visitors and more than 11000 farmers’ participation in this mega event. The initiative emerged as the largest congregation of India’s Organic community and mooted Karnataka as the Millet Capital of India.
Brief Summary of the 3-Day National Trade Fair – Organics & Millets 2017.
Inaugural Function
The programme was blessed by Sadananda Gowda, Hon. Minister for Statistics, Shri. Sompal Shastri, Former Minister of Agriculture, Govt. of India, Ananth Kumar, Hon. Minister for Fertilizer and Petro Chemicals and Parliamentary Affairs, Hon. Minister for Agriculture, Uttaranchal, Krishna Byre Gouda, Hon. Minister for Agriculture, Government of Karnataka and various other Ministers from Government of India and Ministers from State Government, Elected members from Vidhan Sabha and also Vidhana Parishad, Business heads from various Organizations connected with organic products and millets.
In the Address by Hon. Minister for Fertilizer and Petro Chemicals and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Ananth Kumar indicated that in order to boost organic farming at the national level, a National Mission may be formed to formulate and promote schemes related to Organic farming and Millets. By seeing the response from various State Governments and private agencies in this trade fair, he announce that a Round Table conference will be arranged with involvement of Central Government, major state governments like Karnataka, Uttaranchal and experts in the field to promote organic farming and millets across the country. He assured full support of the GoI including PMKY for further promotion of organic farming and millets.
Krishna ByreGowda, Hon. Minister for Agriculture, GOK, announced at the inaugural, that as a result of the meet, institutional buyers like Big Basket have come forward for entering in to long term buying arrangements with Farmers Federations, etc. During the function, The Organic Policy 2017, Organic Recipe Book was published in the inaugural meet.
Start Ups
Chief Minister Priyank Kharge spoke about the Government policy of encouraging entrepreneurs and the Start-up cell of the Government, which helps in incubation and developing an idea to a proof of concept and also provides funding upto Rs 50 lakh. Krishna Byre Gowda spoke about the opportunities and potential space for rapid growth of millet start-ups and the innovative agri- start up funding. The other speakers on the panel spoke about how they started, issues in scaling up, mentoring programme of ASSOCHAM.
Agri start-ups
Karnataka has also set aside Rs 10 crore from the start-up fund for funding innovations in the agriculture sector. The State will call for entries from start-ups in the agriculture sector in early May, said Karnataka IT Minister Priyank Kharge. A maximum funding of up to Rs 50 lakh would be provided to each selected agri start-up.
Recently, the State had funded as much as Rs 2.5 crore to eight start-ups in tourism, Kharge said. So far, about 2,400 start-ups across various sectors have registered with the State government, he added.
B2B – Buyer seller meet
Arrangements were made to meet both the requirements of Buyer to Buyer and Seller to Buyer (producer to Buyers) at the National Trade fair. A separate exclusive meet area was organized for one to one discussions of the sellers and buyers. Representatives of the Farmers Federations got an opportunity to meet various buyers from the country. The meet was exclusively addressed by the Hon. Minister for Agriculture on 29/04/2017. He addressed both the buyers and producers separately on the issues of their interest. To minimize the cost and make the produce more attractive to the buyers, he suggested that the farmers need to be involved in primary processing packaging at farm or hobli level. He also suggested that the buyers can have /Quality Control’ facilities at the farmers level for ensuring quality packing and labelling of value added products.
Mentioned below is a synopsis of the discussions held
Most of the buyers were insisting to supply the quality products required in the designated place and time. The buyers were also requested most of the farmers to take care of farm level primary cleaning and grading at the source. Almost all buyers agreed to give Mandi price plus 10-15% premium for organic produces, based on the quality. Few buyers were interested to share some profit post sales in order to develop long term relationship with farmer/farmer groups. Some of the corporate buyers were keen in supporting the incentives of organic federations by investing in processing facilities/ farm level processing.
On other hand suppliers requested buyers to provide information on their requirements like quantity, quality, grades, etc., in advance. There were around 45 potential buyers discussed with 14 regional federations, farmers groups and individual farmers. Around 50 buyers’ sellers meeting were held in B2B during the Mela. Some of the major potential buyers are: Big Basket, Pro Nature, Dhatu, 24 Organic Mantra, Phalada Pure and Sure, Reliance Fresh, Agri India Farm, Organic Tattva, Jiva Bhumi and Nature Bio-foods. The estimated business potentials during the meet are estimated at Rs.4 Crore in short term and more than 50 Crores on long term basis. The members of farmers’ federations and FPOs expressed their satisfaction on account of this B2B meet which has created platform for both short term and long term sustained business potentials.
Customer connect Programme
A customer connect programme was also organised during 2nd day of the Mela to connect the organic producers with urban customers. Uttar Kannada and Davangere federation representatives have entered into long term supply MoU for supply of organic produces. Many such MoUs are expected to materialise with institutional buyers and farmers federations and FPOs.
This connect programme was witnessed in the presence of Ramalinga Reddy, Transport Minister, GoK, Pattanayak, Secretary, Agri Co-operative and Farmers Welfare GoI, Anandi Charan Sahoo, GM, SIDBI, Soma Sekar, President organic federation high power committee, Sesha Tirumala, Vipul Mittal, CEO Big Basket, UK Federation and Davanagere Federation Presidents, Dr. David Bergvinson, Director General, ICRISAT, MD, Brittania, (Shri. Shri Varun, Pro Nature), Future Group representatives, ITC Foods CEO – Mallik, MTR Foods-Sanjay Sharma, Commissioners of Water Shed, Horticulture and Agriculture Department. During the occasion “Organic Millet Recipe Book”, “Exhibition Catalogue”, “India Organic Food Market” were released.
Farmers Workshop
More than 1500 farmers benefited from the Framers Workshop. This workshop was exclusively organized for the benefit of the farmers who are into organic farming and for millets. The farmers’ workshop started with a Key note address of Dr. G. K. Veeresh, Former Vice Chancellor, UAS Bengaluru. In his address Dr.Veeresh explained the genesis and importance of organic farming. He also explained the farmer how to be a successful in organic cultivation.
The overall feedback of the workshop was useful and satisfactory.
National Conference
More than 3000 delegates participated in the National Conference.
National conference on organic farming was organized to invite experts on various subjects from reputed organizations like ICCOA, ICAR, Agricultural universities, ICRISAT, IIMR, APEDA and major companies like Green Path, Dhatu Organics and others for knowledge sharing clearing the doubts of the organic growers.
The scientists and subject matter specialists made detailed presentation on varied subjects like sustainable rain-fed farming for millets, sustainability of organic farming systems, value chain development for millets and organic food products and potential of domestic market. Besides there were sessions on certification of organic farming and challenges in Certification as well as operations.
The speakers explained the farmers various types of certification of Organic food products and quality assurance systems.
Food Stalls & Food court
Overall response to the organic & millets 2017 was very positive. Most of the stalls registered very good sales and were highly optimistic about the Trade fair. The visitors were seen making purchases from different stalls and were happy about variety of healthy alternatives available to processed foods and chemicals laced food items available in the market.
Drawing competition, Art competition and cooking competitions were organized by the organizers to promote interest among public on the healthy aspects of millets, which was well received through mass participation.
Source: BW Disrupt
