Maharashtra plans to replicate Safal

The Maharashtra government is contemplating having a retail chain like Safal in Delhi to provide a better market to farmers. Cooperative minister Chandrakant Patil, who was impressed with the retail chain said that he wanted to replicate the Delhi model of Mother Dairy’s retail chain Safal in Maharashtra after personally visiting it.

The authorities in Maharashtra are currently studying different models of retail stores, including Safal outlets, Dubai’s Gulf Food, among others to set up such facilities.

“We have been visiting different places over the past two months in order to study how the farmers can get better price and market for their produce. We are impressed with the way Safal stores operate in Delhi and we would want to have similar outlets in the state,” Mr Patil said. The minister visited Safal’s distribution and processing unit in Mangolpuri on Sunday.

The state has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in this regard. Mother Dairy, which runs Safal stores, is a subsidiary of NDDB.

“Maharashtra produces fruits and vegetables in large quantities. However, the state does not have adequate means under which the farmers can sell their products directly to consumers, which can also ensure them better rates. The state may not set up such stores, but can encourage farmer cooperatives to do so or ask companies set up by farmers to undertake this initiative. Say 10-25 such farmer companies can set up such stores in different parts of the country,” Mr Patil said.

He also discussed a proposal with Safal for selling cashew nuts grown in the Konkan belt to be sold through its stores. “Only one-fourth of the total cashew nuts grown in Konkan are processed in the state. The remaining goes to Kerala as raw material. If we get a better market, then this can be processed at the district and taluka level. We have given them this offer. They have now asked us to give a formal proposal,” Mr Patil added.