A better variety ahead. A Telegraph picture

Come winter, chances are city markets will be flooded with organic vegetables.

For, the West Bengal State Food Processing & Horticulture Development Corporation is considering going big with the production of such vegetables with an eye on Calcutta.

?Call it success or failure, we couldn?t bring in any organic vegetable ? tomato, brinjal or capsicum ? produced for the city this year. All of it was exhausted in Nadia?s Chakdah, where it was grown,? a senior corporation official said on Sunday.

It was only a trial sale in the Chakdah market and the officials were quite taken aback by the way the entire produce was lapped up by local residents.

Organic vegetables are now being grown on 25-odd bighas in Nadia. The food processing and horticulture development corporation has entrusted a non-government organisation to supply manure and organic fertilisers to the farmers.

?This organisation is carrying out research in organic farming, helping farmers get bank loans and offering them training. The farmers, however, are not bound to sell their produce to us,? the official said.

With the lesson learnt that the demand for organic vegetables is very high even in the districts, it?s time new targets were set. ?We will soon sit with the NGO to work out when the next set of produce can be brought to the city. We are targeting winter, but if possible, Calcuttans can have a taste of organic vegetables even in late summer,? the official added.

The corporation is now focussing on increasing the variety of vegetables, as well as the total farm area. ?We must be able to supply all kinds of vegetables grown in a particular season,? another government official said.

?A demand for organic vegetables would be created automatically, once we start supplying them. So, a comprehensive production-and-supply plan needs to be framed,? the official added.

Organic vegetables, being grown with manure and natural fertilisers, are tastier and richer in vitamins and minerals. But they are costlier than the regular variety.

An official, however, said the vegetables the corporation would market in the city ?would not be unaffordable?.