Mangaluru : Dakshina Kannada Horticultural Producers Cooperative Marketing and Processing Society launched its first outlet selling organic vegetables and groceries at Karangalpady here on Wednesday.

According to Joe Pradeep D’Souza, managing director of Dakshina Kannada HOPCOMS, the outlet named Amrutha sourced produce from farmer members of the Dakshina Kannada, Chikkamagaluru and Udupi Districts Regional Cooperative Organic Farmers Associations Federation Ltd. The produce were also sourced from other such regional federations in the State. The State government is promoting 14 such federations.

In addition, the outlet sold organic products of other brands.

Basavarj R. Patil, president, Karnataka State Cooperative Horticulture Marketing Federation Ltd., Bengaluru, said that the federation would provide ₹ 40 lakh to the Dakshina Kannada HOPCOMS for building a procurement centre of horticulture produces and a modern retail outlet at Baindoor in Udupi district.

The federation has sanctioned ₹ 30 lakh for automation of all its 16 outlets in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.

He said that the federation has opened Amrutha outlets in Kalaburagi and Chitradurga now. The outlet in Mangaluru was the third one in the State. Mr. Patil said that the federation is planning to open Amrutha outlets in all the districts as there is demand for it.

Mayor Kavita Sanil, who inaugurated the outlet, urged the federation to set up such outlets in other parts of the city also.

Mr. Patil said that the federation would consider the request, if the corporation provided land for setting up such outlets.

Anilraj D.M., president, regional federation of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Chikkamagaluru, said that there was good demand for Savayava Santhe being organised in Udupi on Sundays. Now, the federation is planning to open an outlet in Udupi to sell organic produces on a daily basis.