Now, bring home exotic vegetables

PUNE: Back in 2013, when Balewadi resident Gouri Jadhav returned home from a long international stint, she missed her regular doze of salads most. Even a few years ago, it was rather difficult to get hold of well-grown, leafy greens and exotic vegetables to replicate the taste Jadhav had developed for healthy and fresh foods.
The frustration eventually bore solutions and Jadhav, with absolutely no background in farming, took to cultivating greens on her own, albeit at a friend’s farm in Holkarwadi on the outskirts of the city.Now, Jadhav’s venture has grown from the small, self-feeding model of exotic vegetables to a full-scale operation focusing on all aspects of organic farming, marketing and exporting the produce.
By and by, more health-conscious citizens from the city have willingly given up their cushy, well-paying careers to get down and dirty and ensure that only chemical-free and pure farm produce reaches their dinner tables. While some are farming themselves, others are extending a helping hand to farmers engaged in organic cultivation near the city to help them scale up their operations.
For Sus Road resident Sujit Agarwal, encouraging reviews from buyers tilted the decision in favour of taking up this work full time. From designing electronic chips for an Indian tech major in a plush air-conditioned office to tilling the land with farmers in and around Pune, Pandharpur, Nevasa, Dehu and Phaltan, the life-changing experience has seen the entire family interact with farmers, understand how they grow their produce and ensure that it reaches a growing customer base in the city.
Describing the learnings of the two years since setting up My Farmer, Agarwal said, “I took this up after reading about farming and farmer suicides as I wanted to do something meaningful. After reviewing our financial condition and lifestyle, my wife and I decided to take the plunge. There are quite a few farmers who have taken up chemical-free organic farming and they need a helping hand to reach out to buyers in the initial years. We started from our own residential society and gradually extended it to a six-kilometre radius. We now have a steady customer base that appreciates the distinct taste and flavour of natural produce including everyday vegetables, fruits, even pulses and rice. The rates are fairly competitive to the market prices but it is insignificant if one considers the quality.”
The demand for exotic vegetables in the city is steady and encouraging, says Jadhav, who specializes in organic cultivation of broccoli, golden and red cherry tomatoes, salad leaves, zucchini, red capsicum, among others. She is also marketing other farmers’ produce and extends technology know-how to cope with agricultural challenges like water scarcity, going soil-free, etc.