Fresh produce at cheap prices

Local Charm

The rise in the prices of vegetables has been affecting most households. But many in the City are making ends meet by heading towards the weekly santhes, where one can get fresh vegetables at throw-away prices.

Old Bangaloreans can still be heard speaking highly of these santhes. Not only can people buy fresh vegetables here but can also directly communicate with farmers without any
middlemen.

While these markets used to happen regularly in every area in the City, of late, the santhes are happening more in the outskirts because of space constraints and competition from malls and organic stores selling vegetables.

Nevertheless, when these markets do happen, there are a lot of people bargaining
and choosing fresh fruits, flowers and vegetables here.

And that’s not all, these markets also house ready-to-eat snacks like uncooked wafers, papad, dried chillies, fish, prawns, clothes, utensils etc. “We come here to buy our weekly vegetables because they are cheaper compared to the ones sold by the vendors in the main markets and malls. Most importantly, they are fresh,” says Anuradha, a home-maker who visits the santhe on Bannerghatta Road every Tuesday.

Many wait for these markets to happen primarily because they find the sellers here more trustworthy. Sharanya, a resident of Koramangala, heads to the Madiwala santhe every Thursday. She says that her family has never bought vegetables and fruits from a mall. “I prefer these markets as there are many more options and the rates too are negotiable. Since most of the sellers are farmers selling their produce, you know that they are organic and not artifically ripened,” she adds.

Ankit, a professional, happened to buy vegetables from the Banaswadi santhe one Sunday. From then on, there was no looking back for him. “There is a different charm
altogether for these markets. With so many supermarkets coming up, I feel bad for these farmers who so often get cheated by middlemen, who sell the same produce at a much more expensive rate in other places,” he adds.

These sellers come to these markets at 6.30 am and stay either till they sell their
produce or till seven in the evening. Saraswati, a vegetable seller at the Madiwala santhe, leaves her home near Hosur at 6.30 am and arrives at the santhe with sacks of
vegetables by 8 am. “After we close, if there are any vegetables left, my husband takes it to the KR Market to sell them, and returns the next day.” 

While the prices and the freshness of the produce are some of the plus points of such markets, there is also a major problem that needs to be addressed, which is the hygiene and cleanliness factor. Most of the times, at these markets, rotten fruits and vegetables are thrown around and one can see the cattle feeding on them. Stray dogs can also be seen walking around. And if it rains, the situation gets worse for those selling and buying the items. People are seen hopping and jumping to reach the vendors. And when the santhe closes, the garbage is left around with no one to clean it.

Pramod, a shopper at the Madiwala market, says that the Government should ensure that there is cleanliness. “Just because it is a weekly affair, organised by villagers and on the City outskirts, it does not mean cleanliness is not a priority. The authorities should ensure that there are proper facilities like dustbins and raise awareness among the farmers on keeping the place clean,” he says.