State to sell veggies, fruit and food grains in Dubai

Dubai is all set to get a new vegetable vendor and it is none other than state agricultural department which has already finalised a place on the foreign soil to sell vegetables, food grains and fruits.

Representation pic

The agriculture ministry claimed that the move was aimed to give the produce from the state an international platform. And if all goes well, then Europe would be the next destination.

Though Alphonso mangoes have already made their mark internationally, the government intends to take everything that is produced in the farms across the state to international market and create a space for Indian agricultural produce.

Confirming the news, Commissioner of Agriculture, for Maharashtra state, Umakant Dangat said, "The agricultural department has decided upon having its office in Dubai for which we have even finalised the place and appointed a person there. We are expecting it to be functional soon."

The government does not want to limit itself to selling only fruits or vegetables, but even cereals and food grains.

"We would take everything that is sellable. We'll take fruits, vegetables and even grains, and use every mode to transport the produce to Dubai. The farmers are insisting on having another market and they want it to be in Europe," Dangat said.

Sources in the department claimed that it was a part of the state's plan to encourage group farming, a commercial aspect of farming, wherein a group of farmers come together and collectively grow crops on their respective lands that are sold commercially for good returns.

"This will make farming a better option for the people in the state, as the returns would be higher due to absence or interference of middle men. The government will be able to collect the produce directly from the farmers and monitor everything from start to the end," a source said.

While Dangat said such plans would motivate farmers to opt for group farming, sources claimed it would be for the first time in the country that something of this sort has happened and the state would be setting a precedent for other states to follow. u00a0