Chemical-free farmers market to operate every Monday in Coonoor

The T.N. Department of Horticulture, along with the Nilgiris Organic Horticulture Farmers Association (TOHFA), has started a “chemical-free farmers market” that will be open to the public near the Sims Park in Coonoor every Monday.

The T.N. Department of Horticulture, along with the Nilgiris Organic Horticulture Farmers Association (TOHFA), has started a “chemical-free farmers market” that will be open to the public near the Sims Park in Coonoor every Monday.

Around 100 farmers from across the Nilgiris, who have been trying to grow produce organically for the past few years, will be allowed to sell their produce at the horticulture complex in Coonoor, officials said.

Sibila Mary, Joint Director of Horticulture (Nilgiris district), said that the market would provide an ideal opportunity for Nilgiris farmers who are trying to grow organic produce to sell directly to the public by fixing their own prices. “As it is, it is more expensive to grow produce organically. So this initiative allows producers to sell their produce at a competitive price, while also showcasing to other farmers, the benefits of growing crops without the use of chemical fertilisers,” said Ms. Mary.

She added that some of the farmers have also applied for organic certification, and are being assisted by the Horticulture Department to get certified.

The initiative is part of the Nilgiris district administration’s efforts to encourage farmers in the district to pivot towards more sustainable agricultural practices. As part of this, compost produced at the waste management facility in Coonoor is being provided to organic tea farmers in Kinnakorai village in the Nilgiris.

“A laudable effort by the Department of Horticulture and Plantation Crops in association with The Nilgiris Organic Horticulture Farmers Association (TOHFA) is the facilitation of weekly markets for organic produce of small farmers, first in Ooty and now in Coonoor,” said the NGO, Clean Coonoor that operates the waste management centre in Coonoor.

“Organic farming’s main efforts lie in building healthier soil and using natural methods to control plants and animals you don’t want. That means, employing compost and green manure to increase fertility, and planting different kinds of crops together to increase the number of pest-consuming insects,” the NGO said, adding that the horticulture department was procuring compost and supplying it to the Model Organic Village of Kinnakorai.