The vegetable buying task, though mundane, can be quite a daunting one. But, what if you are provided with a weekly stock of fresh organic vegetables procured from organic farms within 200km radius of your home? Sounds appealing? Then you could sign up for Hari bhari tokri.

COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

A first-of-its-kind initiative in Mumbai, the Hari bhari tokri scheme, is a brainchild of the Mumbai Organic Farmers and Consumers Association (MOFCA), which comprises ecologically conscious consumers and urban organic farmers.

The underlying idea behind the unique initiative is to inculcate a habit of consuming locally grown and seasonally available vegetables, thus minimising food miles and maintaining harmony of the local food web.

So, all one needs to do is to partner with MOFCA for one growing season to get your weekly vegetables. The first season begins this winter from November and it will end in January next year. The summer season will run from February to May next year and the monsoon cycle from June to September next year.

“By paying a deposit of Rs500, one can sign-up for one season. If people wish to continue for the next season, the deposit will be carried forward. If not, it will be refunded,” said Neesha Noronha, a Bandra resident, who is one of the team members of Hari bhari tokri.

Once registered, consumers can opt for a small tokri for Rs100, which will contain 1.5kg of assorted vegetables, or they can go for a medium-sized tokri with 3kg of vegetables for Rs200. “The partnering consumers can sign-up for more then one tokri.

They can pick up their tokris from a pre-decided pick up point,” said Ubai Husein, a Pedder Road resident, who runs an organic farmer in Bhiwandi and is also part of the Hari bhari tokri team. The pick-up joints will be spread across the city, with one each at Fort, Bandra (West), Andheri (West), Peddar Road, Vile Parle (East) and Chembur.The scheme will initially be open to only 150 participating consumers. “To supply organic vegetables for the entire city, we need that many organic farms. Also, the fact that organic farmers grow in limited quantity, obviously restricts the numbers,” said Reetha Balsavar of the organic store, Navdanya, a Hari bhari tokri team member.

According to Balsavar, the scheme, which took a year to take shape, was conceptualised not as a business or service, but rather as an “attempt to connect the end consumers directly with the farmers”. The vegetables will be supplied from organic farms at Bhiwandi, Karjat, Dahanu, Ganeshpuri, among others on the city’s outskirts.

But will people be receptive to the idea of investing in pre-packed vegetable baskets? “We are used to snapping the back of a bhendi and walking away if we don’t deem it fit for consumption.

But, nobody else will buy it after that, and it is the vendor and the farmer who suffer in the end,” said Balsavar, explaining how the scheme is solely based on the promise that the vegetables are organic and fresh.

While people can’t choose the vegetables they get in the basket, they can always select which ones they don’t want. “We are spoilt for choice. We think only mangoes are seasonal. So, yes, the participating consumers will have to relearn a lot in terms of their eating habits,” said Noronha.