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Journalism of Courage
A Cluth of farmers of Phidde village in Ferozepur district have come up with their own brand of organic products 5aab,an obvious reference to Punjab which means a land of five rivers. It is the brainchild of the Farmers Food Processors Society that was formed three years back. The brand,however,came just a couple of months back. They sell their products,the main attraction being low-sugar flour,in a mandi board shop located in Moga.
Gurbinder Singh Kang,a Canada-based NRI who settled back in his native village about three years back is the president of the society.
A branded wheat flour in the market comes in the range of Rs 27-30 a kg. Kang justifies the higher price of their brand of wheat by saying that herbs add to the cost. Besides wheat,the society also sells pulses,squash varieties,pickles,mustard oil,milk and milk products,besan,spices,etc.
Chamkaur Singh,a farmer from Ghoolia village in Moga,says,We have tie-ups with farmers societies in Hoshairpur and in other parts of Ferozepur as well. We keep exchanging our products so as to add varieties.
Singh said they had done farming on about 1,000 acres with wheat 1582 variety and are now looking at the response. More farmers have joined hands and this time the area under organic wheat will expand,he added.
Kang said,Though our society was formed about three years back,all these years we kept spreading awareness about organic farming and a few had also experimented with it. They used to sell their wheat at premium prices. But nothing beyond this had happened. It was only about three months back that we started producing herbal flour under our own brand.
Soon,the society plans to sale premium vegetables. About 25 farmers will contribute their produce. At the moment,there are about 25-30 members in the society who claim to have invested around Rs 25 lakh from their pockets.
