KOCHI: The 17th Organic Fest, organised by the Organic Kerala Charitable Trust, is gaining attention with a wide variety of organic products, vegetables, fruits, and handicraft items offered through various stalls set up at the Ernakulam Town Hall. The fest, which began on Saturday, will conclude on Tuesday. It has been organised in association with the Kochi Corporation as part of the HEAL Kochi project.
Various stalls offer saplings of fruit trees, including mango and jackfruit, vegetable seeds, pickles, doormats and carpets, traditional and medicinal rice varieties, and traditional food like tapioca and chilly chutney. The rice stall set up by the Thirunelly Agri Producer Company is one of the major attractions of the fest. It offers aromatic rice, medicinal rice and traditional rice varieties from the Wayanad district, for instance the Wayanadan Thondi.
“The aromatic rice that we offer include Mullan Kayama, Gandhakasala and Jeerakasala while the medicinal rice varieties include Navara and Valiya Chennellu. The flattened rice (aval) made from Valiya Chennellu is also in high demand. The traditional Wayanad varieties like Wayanadan Thondi, Paalthondi and Chenthaady are also available,” said Rajesh Krishnan, the company head.
He said events like the Organic Fest are good platforms for agri-producer companies to showcase their products. “In cities, there is a good demand for organic and traditional products. We are delivering our rice varieties once a month to various places in Kochi after accepting orders online,” he added.
Meanwhile, Farisha, a Vypeen resident, was at the expo with a variety of dried fish prepared by various units run by women in the panchayat. According to her, the fish caught locally is washed, and dried hygienically before being packaged.
“These units provide a livelihood to a lot of women not only from among the fisherfolk but other communities too. These units are sponsored by Rajagiri,” said Farisha. The exhibition, according to Farisha, provides an opportunity for women to advertise their products.