With people in the city getting more health cautious every day, the demand of organic vegetable has gradually increased.

Kanke Dam and Morhabadi ground has become a favourite destination for people to buy organic vegetables, as a group of farmers, including women, from Kanke and Ormanjhi who are involved in bio-farming, sell vegetable at these spots thrice a week.

 The products are brought to Morhabadi once a week and at Kanke dam twice every week by the bio-farmers.

Farmers yield a huge profit for their efforts as their stock gets sold off within a few hours. At these markets, the farmers also provide contact details and address to the customers so that the consumers can see the farm for themselves and on spot purchase.

“I have been a regular purchaser of bio-farm vegetables from Kanke. They are not only fresh but also tastier and healthier,” said Phani Kumar, a resident of Ashok Nagar in Ranchi.

These farmers, who set up their stalls at Morhabadi and Kanke Dam, learnt about bio-farming at an initiative of business incubation cell of Birsa Agriculture University (BAU).

Under bio-farming, the crops and vegetables are grown with scientific methods reducing the chances of diseases. The farmers use the traditional seeds and add cow dung as fertilizer instead of using harmful chemicals and pesticides.

On day of every harvest of vegetables, the regular customers are informed about the arrival of the products in market the following day. Also, a WhatsApp group has been formed in order to circulate the information.

“The vegetables, which are highly nutritious and free from harmful chemicals, are sold at a maximum premium of 20 percent.

These vegetables have a longer shelf-life than the other vegetables sold in open market,” said Siddharth Jaiswal, chief executive officer of business planning and development at BAU.

He added that the farmers have to put in lesser efforts in bio-farming as compared to chemical based farming.  “The consumers get food items that are good for their health at a price which is only marginally higher than the prevailing rates,” Jaiswal said.