GANGTOK, July 1. Mrs. Nirmala Manger, 39 yrs has recently started selling organic vegetables in Kanchenjunga Vegetable complex (KVC) along with 5 other members of her self-help group (SHG). These days there is much talk about consuming organic food especially green vegetables to avoid any dreadful diseases and to keep healthier too. To mitigate the demand of organic vegetables for the conscious Gangtokians, She is doing a noble deed.
While speaking to Sikkim Mail Mrs. Mangar stated that their SHG have been collecting vegetables from Sirvani, Assam Lingzey, Kadamtam and Shenti and have been selling the same at KVC.
The SHG reaches the stall of KVC at 8am and starts selling vegetables till late evening. They have rented the new accommodation constructed by the government in the bazaar.
Mrs. Mangar informed that, the vegetables that are sold presently includes bamboo shoots, potatoes, tomatoes, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, beet root and lentils besides other seasonal vegetables. Adding further Mrs. Mangar stated that, they have to pay Rs. 5,400 per month as rent for the stall and besides that they even pay extra for electricity and services of sweeper’s which according to her is expensive.
Informing more Mrs. Mangar said that to mitigate the rents paid along with other expenditures incurred if vegetables are sold in higher prices then no consumers would buy due to high price as the vegetable sellers outside provides the outside vegetable in lower or cheaper rates compared to the organic produce.
She further informed that organic vegetables have to be sold at a little higher rate than the other vegetables and for that they have to convince the buyers. However she also added that after starting this business the members of the SFG have become self reliant and independent. They want to spread the message to all unemployed youth of the state to come forward and venture at every possible ways in earning their livelihood and be employed with a mind set of eradicating soaring unemployment problem added Mrs. Manger.
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Furthermore Mrs. Manger mentioned that SHG are the groups of the farmers with identified common objectives, task, group identified and neighborhood and also added that it is a system where all members work together in addressing problems and utilize opportunities through participatory action with a cooperative decision considering the overall development of all members engaged.
While speaking to Sikkim Mail Mrs. Mangar stated that their SHG have been collecting vegetables from Sirvani, Assam Lingzey, Kadamtam and Shenti and have been selling the same at KVC.
The SHG reaches the stall of KVC at 8am and starts selling vegetables till late evening. They have rented the new accommodation constructed by the government in the bazaar.
Mrs. Mangar informed that, the vegetables that are sold presently includes bamboo shoots, potatoes, tomatoes, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, beet root and lentils besides other seasonal vegetables. Adding further Mrs. Mangar stated that, they have to pay Rs. 5,400 per month as rent for the stall and besides that they even pay extra for electricity and services of sweeper’s which according to her is expensive.
Informing more Mrs. Mangar said that to mitigate the rents paid along with other expenditures incurred if vegetables are sold in higher prices then no consumers would buy due to high price as the vegetable sellers outside provides the outside vegetable in lower or cheaper rates compared to the organic produce.
She further informed that organic vegetables have to be sold at a little higher rate than the other vegetables and for that they have to convince the buyers. However she also added that after starting this business the members of the SFG have become self reliant and independent. They want to spread the message to all unemployed youth of the state to come forward and venture at every possible ways in earning their livelihood and be employed with a mind set of eradicating soaring unemployment problem added Mrs. Manger.
