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With 484 mobile and static (Brick and Mortar) retail outlets across the state, and mobilization of 117 vehicles for supply chain management Sufal Bangla has evolved over the years into a sustainable social business model under the inspiration and guidance of Westbengal Govt. The narrative of how Sufal Bangla came into being sounds rather interesting. During a potato price hike way back in 2014, market intervention by the State Government helped stabilize potato prices to the desired satisfaction of both producers and consumers. Subsequently when there was a pre-puja hike in vegetable prices the Government was committed to ensure a fair play in agricultural marketing practices whereby the interests of both growers and consumers must be safeguarded, thus paving the way for the birth of Sufal Bangla, with the assistance of Safal (NDDB, New Delhi), and financial support of RKVY( Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana), the implementing agency being Paschimbanga Agri Marketing Corporation Ltd. The journey which began with the introduction of 14 mobile counters was not all smooth sailing. With the opening of Project Management Unit(PMU) - operated static retail counter first in Kestopur, followed by another in Santoshpur Municipal Market and yet another at Mandirtala in Howrah, Sufal Bangla chariot rolled on oblivious of its teething problems in its infancy. The journey from the farm to the fork (shelf), with its inherent challenges, can be likened to a tight-rope walk.
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