The ‘Grapes & Watermelon Mela’, organised by Horticulture Producer’s Cooperative Marketing Society (Hopcoms), began on Wednesday. The Horticulture Department and National Horticulture Mission (NHM) has coordinated the efforts of Hopcoms.
Speaking on the occasion, Hopcoms General Manager Doddakenda Gowda said: “Beginning today till April varities of grapes and watermelon, from across Karnataka, will be sold in all the 298 outlets and 30 mobile outlets across the City.”
Last year about 459 tonnes of grapes and 1,062 tonnes of watermelons were produced. This season’s mela marks a double increase in production. Other products such as raisin, cashew nuts, pista, badam will also be on sale.
Varieties of grapes such as Thompson Seedless, Sonaka, Sharad, Black Globe, Bangalore Blue etc and varieties of watermelons have been procured from farmers from Bijapur, Bagalkot, Koppal, Kolar and Bangalore Rural districts.
Inaugurating the event, Horticulture Minister S A Ravindranath said while last year the government had spent Rs 863 crore, the allotment in this year’s budget had been increased to Rs 1,310 crore, with Rs 50 crore exclusively for Hopcoms.
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