Expo or fairs refer to the large or small scale events organized by a certain group having similar interests to showcase their services, products, and promote their business. Similarly, an organic expo can be a good platform for organic growers to exhibit and sell their products and also a practical way to disseminate the importance of organically grown produce among a huge mass. The advertisements for different products shown on TV do attract many people to buy it. Expo and fairs follow a similar pattern.
The following points illustrate the Importance of Organic Expo and Fairs:
1. Direct interaction between farmers and consumers
Organic expo can be a platform for direct interaction between farmers and consumers without the involvement of middlemen. This ensures transparency in terms of costs, reduces the chance of adulteration, and develops a sense of trust between buyers and sellers which promotes the product further increasing its demand.
2.Health benefits of organic produce
The sophisticated lifestyle, growing urbanization, industrialization, and the busy schedule of people has created the need for healthy food habits and aesthetic visits to get rid of monotony. The locally grown crops are highly recommended to patients with diabetes, heart diseases, etc, and to every person to reduce risks of these diseases. Organic expo can somehow build a connection between farmers and consumers.
3.First-hand guidance to the Farmers
Farmers who want to adopt organic practices in growing crops can receive the necessary guidelines of the techniques through the expo. It provides a good networking opportunity to the sellers as well. Moreover, farmers can learn about the value addition of their commodities which when applied can grant them a higher return.
4.Increase the scope of the market
Wastage of perishable commodities due to the unavailability of the market has been a serious problem in the agricultural sector. Expo and fairs organized in different places at different times can ensure the market to those farmers and motivate them to grow more.
5.Outreach to a huge mass
Organizing an expo drives the attention of a huge mass of consumers for the products. With an increasing demand for organic products like honey, local rice, cosmetics, vegetables, pickles, fruits, etc farmers are encouraged to produce more. Advertisement about events on mass media which has an outreach to a great number of consumers can further enhance the importance of organic products.
6.Promotion of Tourism sector
The diverse climatic conditions and the topographical features in Nepal permit the production of different crops. Value addition and the branding of these organically produced crops can be a good source of domestic and foreign income. Proper utilization of land and available resources possess the potential to grant our products good recognition in a foreign land also supporting the tourism sector. Along with the direct impacts, Organic expo and fairs have the potential to create a multiplier effect in other sectors like the promotion of homestay in different parts of the country by luring tourists to the place.
Organic Expo that is organized at different times at different places has driven the attention of many people. Different stalls exhibiting organic food, vegetables, and other organic products including cosmetics can be spotted in the melas too. I have attended an Organic Fair “THE BAZAAR: FARMER’S MARKET” at Pokhara and it amazed me. The organization of the farmers market there, the local goods, organic vegetables fresh from the garden, unpolished rice, everything was so impressive. There I got to know that farmers meet every Saturday and sell their produce. The customers seemed very satisfied with the swift delivery of fresh healthy vegetables.
In summary, Organic fair and food expo can be a beneficial tool to promote organic agriculture owing to the increasing demands and the curiosity of customers to try out healthy local and organically grown produce.
