VFPCK plans chain of supermarkets

Staff Reporter
Farm-fresh vegetables to be sold at 20 per cent discount

KOCHI: The Vegetable and Fruits Promotion Council Kerala (VFPCK) is opening a chain of supermarkets for marketing farm-fresh vegetables at a rate of up to 20 per cent discount from the common market prices. The first one of the Sasya Super Markets will be opened at Palarivattom on Monday by Mini Mathew, chairperson of Coconut Development Board.

VFPCK chief executive officer Ashok Kumar Thekkan said that the Sasya Super Markets aim to provide a much-needed marketing infrastructure at the local level for the vegetable and fruit farmers. The market will have both organic and ordinary vegetables.

The market at Palarivattom has an area of about 1,200 square feet. It was furnished at a cost of around Rs. 3 lakhs. The market will have fully automated billing system, said Mr. Thekkan.

As the next stage, the VFPCK plans to open 50 franchisees of the Sasya Super Market in the district. The new outlets will be opened within one month.

In order to ensure the freshness of the vegetables, the leftovers will be disposed of every day.
(The Hindu, March 19, 2006)