Connecting Producers to Consumers – CETARA-NF
No Farmers No Food
Know Farmers Know Food
You need a farmer at least two or three times a day for food, you need a doctor
or a lawyer only once a year (if you are really unlucky)”
A farmer and food activist from Himachal Pradesh, India
At Jaivik Haat Pvt. Ltd. (JHPL) – Gram Disha Trusts’s Delhi based social enterprise in collaboration with Magasool based in Bangalore – have a philosophy that food should be honest, and honesty begins at the farm. We believe that every bite we take connects us to the soil it came from, to the weather that shaped it, and most importantly, to the hands that nurtured it. Based in Delhi, our store is dedicated entirely to organic and naturally grown produce. We are not here to chase trends or sell what looks the most polished. We are here to deliver food that is grown with respect for nature, fairness for farmers, and care for the consumer’s health. Every season Gram Disha Trust and JHPL complement their efforts by connecting the consumer to producers.
This apple season is a perfect example of that mission in action. While most shoppers only see a neat box of apples, our team sees months of dedication behind it farmers waking before sunrise to check their orchards, braving unpredictable weather, hauling baskets down narrow village paths, and holding on to their commitment of growing without chemicals, even when it would be easier and cheaper to do otherwise.
Where Our Apples Begin Their Journey
The story starts far from Delhi, in the cool, crisp air of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. In Himachal, our farmers are based in places that sound like poetry Karsog, Chaupal, Rohru, Kotkhai, Khadapathar, Chamba, Kinnaur, and the breathtaking high-altitude Spiti Valley. Each of these places brings something different to the table. The lower altitudes produce apples early in the season, while the high-altitude regions keep fruiting much later, giving us a longer window to bring fresh apples to your plate.
In Uttarakhand, orchards stretch along the slopes where morning fog drapes the hills and melts away with the first light, leaving behind dew-kissed fruit that glistens in the sun. These are not industrial-scale farms; most are small family-run orchards, handed down through generations, where farming is still done the way it was taught by parents and grandparents patiently, season after season.
The CETARA-NF Seal of Trust
Finding these farmers is not a matter of chance. We source through the official SPNF HP online portal https://spnfhp.in/ , a government platform that lists cultivators certified under the CETARA natural farming system. CETARA doesn’t just look at whether a farm is chemical-free it examines the entire approach, from soil management to pest control, and awards a star rating to each farmer. Three stars mean the farm is fully natural and has not used chemicals for years. One star means the farmer is still transitioning towards complete natural farming.
But for us, the story doesn’t end with certification. Every single batch of apples we bring in undergoes chemical residue testing. This double check is our way of keeping our promise to customers that the apple they hold in their hand is exactly what we claim: natural, pure, and safe.
More, importantly each CETARA certificate carries a QR code with it. We do our best to ensure that the consumers have access to the QR code, so they are able to traceback the journey of the apple from the farms to their plates. This Traceability is a key feature of any Food Systems transformation process.
A Story on Every Box
Every box of apples from JHPL carries more than just fruit it carries a connection. On the side of each box, you’ll find a special sticker with a QR code. When scanned, this code opens a small digital window into the farmer’s world. You’ll see their name, information of their orchard, the exact location where your apples grew, and even a short, input information from the farmer to you.
This simple idea does something powerful. Wherever the box travels whether it’s to a home in Bangalore or an office pantry in Mumbai it carries the farmer’s story with it. People can instantly discover where their food came from, who nurtured it, and what it means to grow naturally in today’s world. It turns a purchase into a relationship, and it helps customers appreciate that behind every apple is a person, a family, and a lifetime of care.
For the farmers, this is more than marketing it’s recognition. Their efforts, which often go unseen, are suddenly celebrated in homes across the country. It’s a reminder that their work matters, and that the people enjoying their apples truly value the journey from orchard to table.
Why This Work Matters
In the regular mandi system, apples are judged almost entirely on their appearance. Shiny, uniformly shaped fruit often achieved with heavy chemical use gets the highest price. Meanwhile, natural farmers, whose apples may have slight variations in shape or a duller shine, are offered far less, even though their farming methods are better for our health, for the soil, and for the environment.
Natural farming is not the easy road. Without chemicals, farmers must rely on labour-intensive practices like hand-weeding, natural pest repellents, and natural soil nourishment. They face higher risks from pests, lower yields in the short term, and greater vulnerability to weather damage. And yet, the mandi system offers them no reward for these extra efforts in fact, it often penalizes them with lower prices.
At JHPL, we believe this is fundamentally unfair. We work directly with farmers to bypass the traditional market, giving them access to consumers who care about health and sustainability. This direct connection means we can pay them far ‘True-er’ rates and still deliver quality apples to homes across India. JHPL and GDT also support framers efforts by developing Sustainable Value Chains with them.
A Basket Full of Choices
One of the joys of working directly with farmers from different regions is the incredible variety of apples we can bring to you. This season, our collection is richer than ever from the crisp, sweet crunch of Gala to the bold, classic flavour of Red Delicious, from the delicate sweetness of Golden Delicious to the vibrant colour and aroma of Royal and Shinko red. We also have the juicy King Roat, the bright Gale Gala, and several other regional and heirloom varieties that are rarely found in conventional markets.
We don’t just offer different varieties we also make sure each apple is graded carefully, so you know exactly what you’re getting. Whether you prefer the top-grade, flawless-looking fruit for gifting or are happy with slightly smaller, more rustic-looking apples for your own kitchen, there’s something for everyone.
Reaching Cities Across India
Our apples don’t just stay in Delhi. This season, they are travelling to Bangalore, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and Kolkata, bringing the crisp sweetness of Himalayan orchards to people hundreds of kilometres away. Each box we send is more than just a delivery — it’s a small bridge connecting the mountains to the cities, and the farmer to the family enjoying that apple after dinner. The CETARA-NF travels to all the consumers and all our suppliers are strongly encouraged to pass the traceability from producer to consumers.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? Not only to see the production practices of the farmers, but also to identify each produce with the farmers. We wish to enable consumers to be able to choose the orchards from which they wish to get an apple. After all it is not just an apple it is an apple of a specific farm. Each farm has its own micro-climate and farmers care, therefore each apple has its own speciality in taste and look. Consumers are encouraged to identify with farmers and order accordingly with JHPL.
The Challenges We Face
Sourcing these apples is not as simple as placing an order and waiting for them to arrive. Many of our farmers live in remote villages, where roads are narrow, winding, and sometimes washed out by rain. Reaching these places can take hours of travel, often with no mobile signal and little infrastructure. Transporting apples over such distances without damaging them is another challenge every bump and jolt risks bruising the fruit, which not only reduces its shelf life but also its market value.
There are financial hurdles as well. We operate with limited funds, which means we cannot always buy as much from a farmer as we would like. Negotiating prices can also be tricky, as expectations don’t always align, but we approach every discussion with fairness in mind. Our goal is not to bargain farmers down, but to agree on a price that works for both sides and reflects the true value of the crop.
Our Commitment: 60% Back to the Farmer
Each consumers money is hard earned, each farmers’ money is also hard earned. Therefore, JaivikHaat – as a transparent intermediary – values your money. We are doing so by developing a price discovery mechanism for farmers, which also includes the consumers. Consumers decide if a price point is acceptable to them, based on the consumers accepted price for sizes and grades – and discounts! – we arrive at net sales price for the Farmer.
One of the principles we hold dearest is ensuring that farmers get atleast sixty percent of the final consumer price. To put it simply, if you buy a box of apples for ₹100, about ₹60 should go directly to the farmer who grew them. This model not only gives farmers a fair income but also helps break the cycle of middlemen and price exploitation.
We don’t see this as generosity we see it as correcting a system that has undervalued farmers for far too long. By giving them their rightful share, we are helping them sustain their livelihoods, invest back into their farms, and continue practising natural farming without feeling forced back into chemical methods for quick returns.
Every Apple Has a Story
When you bite into an apple from JHPL, you are tasting more than just fruit. You are tasting the cool winds of Spiti’s high-altitude orchards, the rich soil of Karsog, the hard work of a Kotkhai farmer who climbs steep paths every day to tend his trees, and the quiet patience of a Chamba family who watches their apples grow through rain, sun, and frost.
We believe these stories matter. They are what make our apples special not just their taste, but the journey they have taken from the tree to your table. Every time you choose JHPL, you are helping to keep these stories alive, ensuring that natural farming remains not just a tradition, but a sustainable future for the next generation.
At JHPL, apples are never just a seasonal product. They are a promise a promise of purity, fairness, and respect for both the farmer and the consumer. This season, as you enjoy our apples, know that you are part of a bigger picture one where farming is fair, food is pure, and every bite makes a difference.
Ensuring Safety Through Residue Testing
After this, we also carried out random pesticide residue testing on our apple samples to maintain the highest standards of food safety. In this process, we discovered that two samples showed residue levels above the permissible MRL (Maximum Residue Limit). Those lots were immediately removed from our inventory to prevent further distribution. For the consumers who had already received them, we reached out personally, apologised for the lapse, and offered compensation. This step, though difficult, reinforces our commitment to transparency, consumer trust, and farmer accountability because we believe safe and pure food is non-negotiable.
Know Farmers Know Food (Scan QR code to know about your farmes)
