Kerala farmers are taking the first steps to becoming exporters of ‘nadan’ (locally produced) vegetables. Vegetable and fruits promotion council Keralam (VFPCK) is shipping export quality products to West Asia and London, and the first vegetables were sold in supermarkets there this week. With some 250,000 horticulturists in the state associated with VFPCK, the agency has already been getting purchase orders for bananas and ‘nadan’ vegetables.
Timesofindia.indiatimes.com quoted Sajan Andrews, director-projects from the VFPCK as saying: “We are issuing a VFPCK certification which guarantees the produce as organic and safe-to-eat. This is mainly needed for European markets.
Right now, sales are taking place through an exporting company, which approached us with their demand for certified crops.” He added that the initial shipments were sent by sea, but now they are flown to London. A few will be sent to Kuwait from where it will reach other Gulf countries also.
