Consumerfed to float superstores in Malabar

The Kerala State Co-operative Consumers Federation (Consumerfed) will soon roll out ‘floating’ super stores along the coast of Malabar region. Three such stores that will sell essential items will be launched in Kasargod, Kannur and Kozhikode in March.

According to Consumerfed managing director Riji G Nair, this would make the total number of floating Triveni super stores to 10, with seven of them already functioning in the southern and central parts of the state.

The floating Triveni super store, lined with shelves, sells everything a home needs —from grain to perfumes, health drinks to shampoo as well as refrigerators and TV sets — at subsidised rates.

The first such store was launched in June 2009 for the residents of low-altitude Kuttanad area in Alappuzha district. Its profitability led the 1965-founded Consumerfed to commission similar services in other parts of Alappuzha, and later to Kollam and Ernakulam districts.

Nair said Consumerfed had opened 25 more mobile Triveni super store-on-wheels last week that would travel roadways for easy ‘doorstep’ access to consumers. The federation is also planning to open 2,200 Nanma stores, which sell essential commodities at lower rates throughout the state in next year, to ensure the sale of 10 essential commodities, including rice, sugar and coconut oil, at 20 per cent discount throughout the year. “Our target is to open as many as 10,000 Nanma stores," he told Business Standard.

Consumerfed would open three temperature-controlled godowns at a cost of Rs 7 crore to store certain commodities that require special protection. In order to store vegetables, especially chilli, the federation is setting up air-conditioned facilities in Kannur, Thrissur and Ernakulam.

Further, the central government has allotted funds for procuring five refrigerated vehicles that will ferry vegetables from farms to godowns, and from there to the outlets.

Also, Consumerfed plans to set up a high-tech coconut oil production plant with the financial aid from Nabard's Regional Infrastructure Development Fund.