JOIN USHopcoms ventures into supermarket territory
Disclosing this to Deccan Herald Assistant Director of Horticultural Producers Co-operative Marketing and Storage Society (Hopcoms) B S Raju said the existing stall of the society beside KSRTC City Bus Stand (CBS) will make way for the ‘model stall’ equal to supermarket. Estimated at ` 20 lakh the new stall will come up on 40 ft x60 ft space dedicated for sales only. The works are expected to begin shortly.
“Unlike previous years, the customers can shop in cool environs. They will be provided with trolleys”, Raju added.
The sales counter at the existing stall was restricted to 10 ft x 30 ft making it difficult at times to meet the rush. Though it was spread over an area of 60x100 it included storage facility and also purchasing from the farmers.
Separate sections
At the proposed stall there will be separate sections for fruits, vegetables, dairy products like milk, curd and others of Mymul, freshly-prepared fruit juice besides billing machines making it completely hitech with air-conditioners.|
This apart, parking woes of the customers will also be addressed with the dedicated lot to accommodate both four wheelers and two wheelers.
You may be thinking why this particular stall has been selected? The answer is it tops among the 44 such outlets here in terms of revenue. On an average, it accounts for ` 20,000 to ` 25,000 revenue per day.
Storage Centre
If that was about selling part, on storage front too Hopcoms has a new plan. It will be constructing a complex behind Hotel Lalithamahal Palace on Mysore- T Narsipura road that includes vegetables and fruits purchasing and storage sections, and also of juice at an estimated cost of ` 50 lakh.
Among fruits there will be a separate section to ripen bananas deploying a scientific method in a cool chamber. Till these years Hopcoms has employed a traditional practice of ripening the fruits using heat method.
You may not believe, for Hopcoms banana is the major earner with the daily sales registered at four tonnes comprising all the stalls. Especially ‘Elakki Baale, ‘Pachbaale’ and also some quantity of ‘Nanjangud Rasabaale’ is a big draw.
To cater to the demand of the nearby localities another outlet will be opened in the same complex, Raju said.
Both the projects have been taken up under a total of ` 102 lakh sanctioned under National Krishi Vikas Yojane for different works. With the foundation stone laid for the works on Friday, the district unit of Hopcoms is waiting for beginning a new chapter with a refreshed look.