Organic farming comes to the rescue of Vidarbha farmers

Unlike many of his less-fortunate peers, Vidarbha farmer Girish Deshmukh is a happy man these days. Less than two years ago, he couldn’t have imagined in his wildest dreams that the cotton he grew would satisfy Europe’s fad followers’ need for ’organic only’ products. Yet, two years later, his dream has come true and made him laugh all the way to the bank, courtesy of a trendsetting public-private partnership model between the country’s largest apparel-maker and its biggest bank.

Lalbhai Group’s flagship Arvind and State Bank of India are set to cement a relationship later this month by signing a memorandum of understanding that will link over a thousand farmers in Vidarbha region’s Akola district to a demand-driven supply chain and an assured cash flow.