City couple help farmers, artisans sell their produce and earn profits
Chennai-based Rekha Ramu and VM Parthasarathy put together organic produce from farmers and tribal artisans across the country, thereby help them build a bigger market
Hailing from agricultural background, Rekha Ramu and her husband VM Parthasarathy were into different jobs until a couple of years ago. After understanding the harsh effects of store-bought products, the duo decided to try organic farming at their land in Pandeswaram, a village panchayat located in Tiruvallur district. Parthasarathy met organic farming stalwart Nammalvar and learned the significance of growing chemical-free vegetables. Later, the duo set up an organic store called Farmer and Co at Chetpet and Kotturpuram.
“Our parents weren’t keen on us taking up farming. But once we started getting lifestyle-related ailments, we started thinking about the main reason. Coming from a farming family if we are not able to produce safe food then how can we expect others to make chemical-free food? So, we decided to completely shift to organic farming. After starting cultivating in our farmland, we met a few farmers in Tiruvallur, who were also willing to move to organic farming,” says Rekha.
Organic farmers across the country, who are finding it hard to sell their products, can approach the couple to find a market. “We have a network of farmers and trusted individuals in most of the villages. Since a lot of tampering can happen during the entire process — from the farmland to a consumer’s dining table — we take random samples from the farmers and give it to the testing lab in Guindy. We wanted to ensure that the product is of good quality,” she stresses. Finding a large market was always a tough task for organic farmers. After knowing the situation, the couple opened an organic store in Chennai called Farmers and Co where they sell organic produce collected from farmers and tribal artisans.
“We work as aggregators to self-help groups from various districts in the state. There is a group called Wild Ideas in Tiruvannamalai that make organic and highly effective household cleaners, personal cleaners, vadams and other home care solutions. But they don’t have a proper channel to sell their products. We help them find a customer base in the city,” the entrepreneur shares. Another interesting aspect is that Chennaiites who want to sell the products but don’t want to run a store can buy from them at a low rate.
“Once they collate the order from people in their locality, they can approach us and have the products delivered. Through this, they can also share a small profit. The idea is to create a bigger market for organic farmers’ produce. This is one of the best ways we can support the farmers. That’s why we didn’t want us to restrict to one mode of selling,” adds Rekha.