First High Way Bazar functions successfully in Raptadu mandal

Anantapur: The first High Way Bazaar has been functioning successfully at Uppunethalapalle in Raptadu mandal, thanks to the efforts of Parthasaradhi, an IT professional turned farmer and the department of Horticulture. More than 10 bazaars are planned in the district involving farmers organistions and cooperative societies.

The farmers society of Uppunethalapalle founded by Parthasaradhi is the first one which is set up on the NH-44 for marketing farm products. It is serving as the collection point for farmers’ products straight from the farms for transporting the same to nearby Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

Godowns, cold storages and pack houses are now part of the Highway Bazaar. Pomegranate, sweet oranges, bananas and muskmelon etc are some of the fruits being marketed to Bengaluru and from there to countries abroad.

Horticulture Deputy Director Subba Rayudu told 'The Hans India' that several highway bazaars are being planned involving enthusiastic farmers who are already active in marketing of their produce. The highway bazaars will be a rallying point for farmers to sell their produce hassle-free. The Department is taking many steps for marketing of farmers products. The farmers should give top priority for quality, he adds.

Parthasaradhi says that he had stepped into agriculture to basically address marketing issues and give a hand holding to farmers by connecting them to corporate malls and market forces.

The Department of Horticulture under the guidance of District Collector Veera Pandian is now preparing action plan to support horticulture farmers by establishing cold storages, integrated pack houses, pre-cooling units, Refer vans, Ripening chambers, cashew processing centres and low cost onion storage structures as part of master plan worth Rs.5 crores. The action plan will soon be implemented in the current financial year.