FARMERS' MARKET-EVOLVING CONSUMER-GROWER KINSHIP?

Can any one in India dream of buying their food requirements directly from the farmers? The answer could be "no" or at best "may be"! Look at the opportunities that exist in the most developed country in the world, for the consumer to access food directly from the grower through thousands of so called Farmers' Markets that function across the continent and one must considered the American citizens most blessed on the earth. This phenomenon, mostly consumer driven is giving a sliver of a hope that this country on the verge of a catastrophe due to wide spread prevalence of obesity, may yet make a break-through in restoring good dietary habits in the country. All the more remarkable is the fact that such "game changing" developments are taking place in spite of the distorted government policies which lean heavily on big farmers, ignoring the small ones, through unsustainable economic interventions. Here is a take on the subject.

"Ten years ago, farmers markets in Michigan were few and far between, with only 90 existing in the state. Today, the state boasts more than 250 farmers markets, and a recently-released report finds these markets are more than just a place to shop for local produce. Farmers markets also can boost the economy and provide jobs. While farmers markets are growing in numbers nationally, they could be doing a lot better, according to a report released Thursday by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). What's holding farmers markets back? Federal policies that favor industrial agriculture at their expense, the report stated. "On the whole, farmers markets have seen exceptional growth, providing local communities with fresh food direct from the farm," stated Jeffrey O'Hara, the author of the report and an economist with UCS's Food and Environment Program. "But our federal food policies are working against them. If the U.S. government diverted just a small amount of the ... subsidies it (gives to) industrial agriculture to support these markets and small local farmers, it would not only improve American diets, it would generate tens of thousands of new jobs." UCS released the report just a few days before the 12th annual U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Farmers Market Week, which starts Sunday. According to the report, "Market Forces: Creating Jobs through Public Investment in Local and Regional Food Systems," the number of farmers markets nationwide more than doubled between 2000 and 2010, jumping from 2,863 to 6,132, and now more than 100,000 farms sell food directly to local consumers".

There are many countries in the world where advanced distribution logistics do not exist which force the farmers to sell their produce through local temporary markets in open grounds on a periodic schedule where buyers assemble for making their weekly purchases. Advent of modern technology to create distribution and storage infrastructure has enabled farmers in many developed countries to access distant markets giving them higher returns on their crops. In spite of these developments, the fine example that is seen in the US in the area of local markets where farmers can sell their "fruits of labor" directly to the consumer without any middle man gobbling up significant share of the sale proceeds, is worth emulating and such markets can be a win-win situation for the seller as well as the buyer.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com