Kochi: The Agriculture Department wouldl sell vegetables at an affordable price to people through mobile units called ‘thakkali vandi’ (tomato -cart) across the state.
Twenty-eight vehicles would be used for this purpose, Agriculture Minister P Prasad told a press conference at Thiruvananthapuram.
Tomato would be sold at Rs 50 per kg. Other vegetables would also be sold through the vehicles at affordable rates from 7.30 am to 7.30 pm, he said.
Vegetables would be procured from different parts of the country by mainly the neighbouring states, he said.
More outlets would be operated in regions where there are no permanent shops under the supervision of Horticorp.
A total of Rs 8 crore was allocated for the purpose. Efforts are on for timely intervention in the event of price rice.
A panel has been set up with Agriculture Department secretary as its chairman and the Agriculture Department Director as its convener for this.
The government is considering allocating a contingency fund to deal with a similar situation in future.
The government is planning to encourage more people to take up vegetable farming in the state. As part of it committees would be set up in every panchayat.
The government has identified 10,000 acres of land for vegetable farming in the state, he said.
The Christmas / New Year fairs would begin from December 22 to January.
