KHAMMAM: In a move redefining rural commerce by connecting women producers directly with their customers, the district’s all-women-run Mahila Mart, touted to be the first of its kind in Telangana, has rung up sales of Rs 20 lakh in just three months. The initiative has shown the massive potential for trusted, natural products and created a sustainable economic model that could empower thousands of women.
Launched in May by Agriculture Minister Thummala Nageswara Rao, Mahila Mart in Khammam, set up at a cost of Rs 30 lakh, has become a platform for thousands of women to sell their products directly to consumers. The mart is run entirely by women under the aegis of the district mahila samakhya. In its first quarter, it sold goods worth Rs 20 lakh and purchased Rs 25 lakh worth of products from women producers. Encouraged by its success, the government is now planning to set up similar marts in other districts.
Shoppers are showing keen interest in natural, locally-made goods. “Every day, sales worth Rs 35,000 are being recorded, and on weekends it is around Rs 50,000,” Bhavani, a staff member, tells TNIE.
District Collector Anudeep Durishetty says that owing to the efforts of women’s associations, not only are products being marketed effectively, but employment opportunities have expanded and living standards have improved. With no middlemen involved, goods are reaching customers directly, boosting trust in quality products. The mart has also emerged as a source of income for both rural and urban women, laying a strong foundation for expansion.
Former district collector Muzammil Khan initiated the project, while District Rural Development Officer R Sanyasaiah says that 95 women’s societies across 20 mandal federations are currently supplying 261 varieties of products.
These include rice, jaggery, honey, spice powders, oils, pulses, flours, millets, worship items, handwoven cloth, bamboo products, handicrafts, clay pots and cleaning materials. He said mandal samakhyas purchase goods from village samakhyas and supply them to the mart, ensuring fair prices for producers and affordable, high-quality products for consumers.
At present, five women — Bhavani, Rajani, Triveni, Nagalakshmi and another Rajani — manage the mart. By running it on corporate lines, they are supplementing their family incomes while contributing to the district’s economic development. Indirectly, hundreds of families are benefiting through jobs in production, packaging and transportation.
“Earlier, I had no income. Today, I earn Rs 15,000 a month. This opportunity has changed not just my life but the lives of many women like me,” says Bhavani.
She adds that growing consumer confidence has encouraged women to expand production and experiment with new products. “When the mart started, there were very few items. As sales grew, societies gained confidence, and now more products are available. It is a matter of pride to run the mart, and we are indebted to the administration for making this possible.”