It is time for HOPCOMS grapes and watermelon mela in Bengaluru

Chickpet MLA Uday Garudachar, who inaugurated the mela, praised the sweetness and quality of the fruits and encouraged citizens to support HOPCOMS by purchasing from its stalls.

The annual ‘Grapes and Watermelon mela’ organised by the Horticultural Producers’ Co-operative Marketing and Processing Society (HOPCOMS) was inaugurated on February 24 at the HOPCOMS head office in Lalbagh, Bengaluru.

A wide range of watermelons — Zigna Gold, Watermelon Yellow, Watermelon namesake, Wide watermelon, Kiran watermelon — and eight varieties of grapes — Grape T. S., Grape Australia Red Globe, Grape Krishna Sharad Super, Grapefruit (Jumbo Sharad), Grape T. G., Grape Bangalore Blue and Grapes (plames) — are being sold in the mela this time. The fruits will be sold at a 10% discount during the mela at all the HOPCOMS stalls in Bengaluru.

Jayaprakash, general manager, HOPCOMS noted that most grape varieties, except Australia Red Globe, are Karnataka-based. When questioned about initiatives to support farmers, he explained that the organisation was created by a group of farmers and continues to operate with over 10,000 farmer members.

“A new agreement has been announced with the Bangalore Apartment Federation (BAF), which will enable residents of apartments to place direct orders via WhatsApp, which was earlier done manually. This is set to launch soon,” he stated. 

He spoke about the challenges faced in selling these easily-perishable products, with spoilage rising to 20% in summer. “We are the only society organisation in India dedicated to fruits and vegetables. We have maintained and sustained quality, which has helped us receive customer support since 1959,” he said.  

Chickpet MLA Uday Garudachar, who inaugurated the mela, praised the sweetness and quality of the fruits and encouraged citizens to support HOPCOMS by purchasing from its stalls.

The mela will continue until the season lasts.