HOPCOMS' turnover registers growth

Bangalore, Mar 5 (UNI) Notwithstanding the entry of private operators, the State-owned Horticultural Producers Cooperative Marketing and Processing Society Limited (HOPCOMS), engaged in marketing vegetables and fruits procured directly from farmers, has recorded a turnover of Rs 40.13 crore till February 2007 as against Rs 36.72 crore in the corresponding previous period.

Addressing a press conference here today, HOPCOMS Chairman Babu Rao said HOPCOMS would expand its presence by opening more number of outlets to meet the demands of consumers. It planned to construct a central warehouse, two collection centes and 94 selling outlets, besides computerising its operations.

He said HOPCOMS, set up mainly to encourage grape cultivation, had started handling all fruits and vegetables procured directly from the farmers of Bangalore Urban, Bangalore Rural and Kolar districts. The Society was presently handling 85 to 90 metric tonnes of fruits and vegetables daily and last year over 11,094 tonnes of fruits and 13,137 tonnes of vegetables were purchased by HOPCOMS, paying Rs 29 crore to farmers.

Mr Rao said HOPCOMS had targetted to sell about 1,500 tonnes of different varieties of grapes this year and was holding grapes fair in many parts of the city to help the farmers. HOPCOMS sold over eight to ten tonnes of grapes every day during season. An estimated 1,80,000 tonnes of grape was produced in over 95,000 hectares of land in the State.

UNI