Varkala Agri-Farmers Producer Company Limited

You can find us at Pranavam, which is in Pakalkuri Po. That’s where the Varkala Agri-Farmers Producer Company Limited is based. Even though the name says Varkala, we are a bit inland in the Pakalkuri area. It’s a nice spot, away from the main tourist tracks. We are a collective of farmers who wanted to have a bit more control over how our produce is sold. The office is just a part of a house called Pranavam. It’s very informal. You walk in and you might find someone drinking tea or reading the local newspaper. We talk about the rains, the local market rates, and whose harvest is looking good this year. It’s a very grounded way of doing business. We don't have any fancy mission statements or slogans. We just want to make sure the people growing the food get a fair deal at the end of the day. Being in a small place like Pakalkuri, everyone knows everyone else’s business anyway, so there’s no point in trying to be something we aren't. We work with what we have and try to make it last. Sometimes the power goes out and we just sit outside and keep talking until it comes back. It’s a slow, steady life. The company is just a tool for us to help each other out and keep the farms in our families running for another generation.