Arunachal: Rural Mart inaugurated at Miao in Changlang
This will help the SHG members who may be risk averse and lack financial capability to have a marketing outlet for their products.
NAMSAI- NABARAD General Manager, Partho Saha launched a Rural Mart at Miao in Changlang District which was sanctioned to the “Karumwan EE’ SHG which was facilitated by Bethel Life Care Charitable Trust (BLCCT). NABARD will provide grant assistance to cover the initial operational costs like rent and salary of sales person besides cost of promotion and basic capital costs. This will help the SHG members who may be risk averse and lack financial capability to have a marketing outlet for their products.
The scheme is part of the marketing initiatives supported by NABARD to enable the producers to sell their farm and off-farm products at reasonable prices by avoiding involvement of intermediaries and monopoly of established businessmen. It will serve as a link between the producers and the customers, thus aiding the generation of additional income and employment at the grassroots level. The Mart will provide employment and livelihood opportunities to many SHG members/ families in the district.
Speaking on the occasion, Partho Saha expressed valuable tips for running a marketing venture successfully. He also announced that the Tangsa handloom had been taken up for GI Registration by NABARD and the application had already been filed successfully which will give a unique identity to the handloom products of the district being produced by the SHG members. DDM NABARD, Kamal Roy congratulated the SHG members and wished them all success in their new venture. He also promised to support them in their future ventures.
Day one of the official tour of GM NABARD in Districts ended with an inspection of the ongoing construction of Rural Haat which was implemented by the Panchayat at Miao.
GM NABARD also laid the foundation stones for the construction of two Rural Haats in the Namsai district at Alubari and New Mohong villages in the presence of DDM NABARD, Kamal Roy; NOSAAP CEO, Chau Athina Chauhai; ArSRLM staff, SHGs and progressive farmers.
The marketing infrastructure was funded by NABARD, Arunachal Pradesh Regional Office and will be implemented by the Namsai Organic Spices and Agricultural Products (NOSAAP), a farmers’ producers’ company in collaboration with PLF of SHGs, promoted by ArSRLM.
The upcoming Rural Haats will have a market shed with a raised platform, a small storage room-cum-office space, Toilets with water supply & sanitation facilities, Solar Lighting system and a solid waste disposal compost pit, etc.
At present, farmers of the nearby villages sell their local fresh vegetables along the roadside without any permanent shed/ structure which exposes them to extreme weather and running vehicles.
NOSAAP CEO Chau Athina Chauhai said that the rural haats will help mitigate the marketing hardship faced by the local farmers, vegetable growers and women SHGs to sell their Agri & Horticulture produce.
NABARD DDM Kamal Roy stated that the locations for the Rural Haats were aptly selected along the National Highway which provided high visibility to the vendors. It will boost the sale of local produce as well as provide convenience to the customers for getting fresh organic vegetables.
GM, NABARD, Saha, on his part, congratulated the NOSAAP team and expressed his happiness at the prospects of the farmers getting higher returns and leading a better life. He urged the farmers and villagers to utilise the infrastructure created optimally and not just for one or two days in a week. He also emphasised on the importance of discipline and regular collection of charges by the Rural Haat Management Committee in order to maintain the Haat and regulate the participation of vendors.
Later, GM NABARD, Partho Saha, flagged off a Mobile Mart (Van) which will act as a market outlet of NOSAAP Farmer Producer Company Ltd. and also help to transport the agricultural produce from the fields to the market, thereby reducing the cost incurred by the producer farmers. It will help in coordinating with different producers, and creating a wide range of products at their outlets.
