Vegetables being loaded into vehicles from the Jai Kisan Wholesale Vegetable Market in Belagavi to be supplied to Goa.
BELAGAVI
Amid claims in Goa that the State has reduced its dependence on imported vegetables by 25% and has begun exporting nearly 10% of its produce, supplies of vegetables, fruits and milk from Belagavi to Goa have not reduced in any way.
Traders at the wholesale vegetable markets in Belagavi have claimed that supplies of vegetables to Goa have remained unaffected over the years.
Speaking to The Goan, they stated that the demand for Belagavi vegetables remains the same, and has even risen sharply during festivals.
Even milk and fruit supplies from Belagavi have been dominating the Goan market while organised efforts are also underway to increase these supplies to Goa.
WHOLESALE MARKETS
Belagavi has two wholesale vegetable markets, from where vegetables are supplied to Goa and parts of Maharashtra and North Karnataka.
The first is the government controlled Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) wholesale market near Kangralli in North Belagavi and second is the Jai Kisan Wholesale Vegetable Market on the Pune-Bengaluru NH 748 towards east Belagavi, which was started about four years ago.
Potatoes and onions are supplied from the APMC, while all other vegetables are supplied from Jai Kisan Wholesale Vegetable Market.
“We do not know the quantum of vegetables grown by Goan farmers, however, the demand for vegetables from Belagavi has not declined. On an average, about 70-80 vehicles carrying vegetables are sent to Goa every day, and these include vehicles from the Horticulture Corporation of Goa. In fact, this demand is expected to rise during the forthcoming Shravana and the festival season that follows,” said Jyotiba Patil, a leading wholesale supplier to Goa.
He also ascertained that the supplies are not affected even during summer when Goan farmers cultivate vegetables.
According to potato and onion wholesalers, Goa is largely dependent on Belagavi for the supply of onions and potatoes.
The demand for fruits from Belagavi is no different.
Wholesale fruit suppliers said they send about 20 boxes of every fruit to Goa every Wednesday and Saturday, adding that the demand rises during festivals, especially during Christmas and New Year.
QUALITY, TASTE
Justifying the ceaseless demand to Belagavi grown vegetables, traders said vegetables from Belagavi region are tastier than vegetables grown in Goa and any other parts in the region.
A trader said vegetables grown in Goa are not as flavoursome due to the climatic and soil conditions.
“Vegetables grown in Belagavi fields are tastier than any other areas, due to which Belagavi vegetables are in much demand. Belagavi’s soil and much cooler climatic conditions in the hinterland are conducive for vegetable farming,” said a wholesaler Umesh Patil.
“While supplies to Goa remain steady, there is rising demand from North Karnataka and Southern Maharashtra markets where farmers are getting a better rate and faster payments than Goa.”
Traders also claimed that only some vegetables are grown in Goa that too for a limited period of three to four months in summer, during which the supplies from Belagavi remain unaffected.
DIRECT SUPPLIES
A young entrepreneur Aditya Patil said a new trend has started where farmers have begun supplying vegetables directly to Goa at better rates.
Farmers from Kadoli, Bennali, Ambewadi, Bagewadi and other areas claimed that some traders from Goa are visiting their farms and purchasing vegetables for sale in Goa.
“This is because we are getting a better rate than the wholesale vegetable market in Belagavi. But since we cannot rely totally on these direct purchasers, we still have to rely on the Jai Kisan wholesale market,” said Omanna Tumari, a farmer who grows vegetables.
MILK SUPPLIES
Even milk supplies to Goa have been steady from organised and unorganised sector.
"The Belagavi Milk Union (BEMUL), a unit of Karnataka Milk Federation, supplies about 25,000 litres of milk to Goa every day. Even our Goodlife milk, which has longer life is in high demand in Goa," said BEMUL MD Shrikant.
“Efforts are being initiated to aggressively promote the Nandini milk in Goa.”
