JOIN USFor a City that is coming across as health conscious, Krishi Mela has a lot to offer.
A number of stalls have been set up by sugarcane growers in the mela, jaggery being the ‘wonder’ product they have to offer.
“You can use this instead of sugar in milk and other delicacies. It is better for those with diabetes,” the vendors said.
Among the products they have to offer are jaggery syrup (Bellada Neeru in parts of Karnataka) which the stalls have been promoting as an alternative to the processed fruit jams.
“These varieties are not available in the market. The dark ones are those which are not subject to chemical purification,” said one of the members at the Organic Mandya stall. The demand was high at the stall Courtecy India Bengaluru. On display was a variety of products made of ragi - cookies and deep-fried items including chakkuli, nippat and papad.
“We cultivate ragi on 40 acres of land. We have increased the quantity of cultivation as there is good demand,” said C P Krishna, a farmer from Mandya who was at the stall. There was much demand for amla (Indian gooseberry) and other medicinal plants. While a few sought insulin plant, a few others were seen buying natural supplements.