Bagalakote: Hopcoms are the Government-regulated vegetable market which directly connects farmers and consumers. However, the Hopcoms in the City has shut its doors since several months.
The Hopcoms established in City had helped farmers get a fair price. However though reasonably priced the market did not get good response from the consumers, thus now leading to uncertainty over opening Hopcoms in future. It also indicates an administrative inefficiency.
District Horticulturist and Processing Association established two Hopcoms in the City and purchased the main horticultural items like pomegranate, grapes, sapota, watermelon and vegetables like onion, brinjal, chillies and tomatoes from farmers paying a fair price as well as sold them to consumers in a reasonable price. This system reduced the middlemen interference.
Though years passed after inauguration of Hopcoms, they were not able to function in a proper manner. The farmers sell pomegranates and grapes to Bengaluru and Hyderabad to gain good profit. However, other items did not garner anticipated demand from the consumers. Therefore, to avoid great loss now Hopcoms has shut its doors. Administrative Department too failed in creating awareness about Hopcoms among farmers.
Speaking to NewsKarnataka Vidyagiri resident Sumangala Shettar said that the Hopcoms in Bagalkote never opened. Only during first lockdown due to Covid pandemic it opened for few days, after which it closed down.
District Horticulturist and Processing Association Founder President Subhash Shilpi who took charge a year ago said that the Hopcoms are not in a prime area. The consumers are not showing interest in purchasing at Hopcoms which has led to loss and therefore we have shut shops. However, the association is planning to upgrade Hopcoms in the District, he added.
