Kerala govt mulls ferrying farm produce atop KSRTC buses to markets throughout state

Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There was a time in Kerala when the streets as soon as throbbed with life as buses carrying numerous forms of items reached each native markets and cities throughout the state. However, with the passage of time, the glory of rooftop transportation of products on buses waned with the emergence of assorted forms of cargo automobiles. Now, the state authorities is pondering whether or not to carry again the outdated system of transporting domestically grown farm produce together with greens atop KSRTC buses on lengthy routes to varied markets throughout the state so as to salvage the sagging fortunes of farmers in addition to the KSRTC.

After the KSRTC proposal to hire out vacant retailers in its buildings throughout the state to the government-run Bevco, now a piece research report on agriculture improvement and farmers’ welfare division executed by the Personal and Administrative Reforms Department has beneficial to the state authorities to contemplate KSRTC buses for the roof-top transportation of domestically grown greens throughout the state so as to present higher remuneration for farmers engaged in vegetable farming. This could be a win-win scenario for farmers, shoppers and the debt-ridden KSRTC together with its employees by offering them incentives for the transportation of products, the report stated.

Though the state authorities has introduced the help value for numerous crops together with greens, there’s a appreciable distinction in costs of greens being offered in numerous elements of the state. After the marketing campaign of pesticide-free greens, there’s a appreciable demand for domestically grown greens and lots of people have taken up farming as a vocation. But making certain a devoted market and value for domestically grown farm produce continues to be a giant problem for the state authorities.

“In some areas, the farmers had to postpone the harvest of the vegetables or other produces following crash in prices. At the same time, the same vegetables would be selling at high rates in some other parts of the state. In this backdrop, it would be ideal if we could press the long haul KSRTC buses to transport farm produce atop buses across the state. This would enable consumers to get farm fresh domestically grown vegetables and other produce hardly 12 hours after the harvest by an overnight journey to various markets,” the report stated.

By equipping devoted software program for the advertising of domestically grown farm produce together with companies, the state might guarantee a good value for it throughout the state. The items may be offloaded at designated native stage warehouses close to the town or city markets. Further, the employees of KSRTC buses carrying items ought to be given an incentive in proportion to the burden of the load on prime of the buses. This would allow the KSRTC to earn further income aside from ticket assortment aside from offering a possibility for the employees to earn extra, the report stated.

Subhash T V, Director of Agriculture, stated, “The suggestion of ferrying farm produce atop the KSRTC buses to city markets is one of the good recommendations in the report. We hope once the report is submitted to the state government after the initial discussion, the government would take a favourable decision in favour of this recommendation which would be beneficial for farmers, KSRTC and eventhe consumers,” he stated.