BARIJORI Haat

BARIJORI Haat is the largest handloom haat (local market) near Bargarh (western Odisha) where every Friday of the week a few thousand weavers from the surrounding area come to sell their produce directly to traders and local customers. The space is offered for a token fee of Rs 10 on a first come first served basis in a large open field. The market is open for weavers, artisans and farmers to sell their weekly produce.

The weavers sell their famous ikat saris, gamochas (shoulder cloth used by men), fabrics and readymade shirts. Each one sells their own produce and collects the money for their sales. The space is managed by a weaver’s collective, but no commissions for sales are to be paid to any organisation. The bazaar begins around 5am and by noon they have a transaction of over one crore. On a good day, the sales have reached over two crores.

There is a lot to learn from the Balijor haat. It is a lucrative marketing platform that helps the weavers to regularly sell their produce, allowing for a quick return on their investment.

Many such initiatives are needed in each state of the country, for local producers to directly sell to local consumers at reasonable, affordable prices.