Villagers from Mao sold their produce to their satisfaction at a special Mao market opened for Ningol Chakouba Festival at Tera Ideal Club campus in Imphal on Friday, which was organised by Mao Market Coordinating Committee.
Secretary of Mao Business Women Union, Sania Mao expressed happiness as people thronged the market to buy vegetables for Ningol Chakouba.
During the pandemic, various kinds of vegetable produce got wasted due to lack of selling places, she said. “However, as the festival arrived, villagers from Mao gathered all their produce and sold them, it makes us really happy to do so, considering that this festival is celebrated especially for women,” she added.
She said that for selling at the special market, villagers started preparation from three, four days ago and started travelling midnight. The road stretch from Mao to Imphal is about 102 km. Without sleeping the whole night, the sellers are selling happily, she added.
“The customers may feel that the vegetable prices are high but they are all organic and their quality is best,” she said.
It may be mentioned that a memorandum has been submitted before the union minister of state for education and external affairs, MP RK Ranjan on November 4 for promoting and preserving the identity and welfare of Mao business women.
The memorandum was submitted by Mao Naga Women Welfare Association before the MP, stating that the Mao community with a population of approximately 12,000 is residing in and around the capital city of Imphal due to various reasons like employment, education and business.
It has been a cherished desire of the association to enable women to find employment by producing their cultural handloom and handicraft products which are in high demand. Therefore, the association urges the MP for extending financial assistance to enable the association to help women of the community in improving their economic status, it stated.
The association also urges for allotment of permanent market shed for Mao Women Vegetable Vendors in Imphal, it mentioned.
As per the memorandum, the government of Manipur on July 3, 2015 had assured to establish a permanent Mao market in Imphal. All formalities were completed and the chief minister N Biren also made a public declaration during the Flower Festival held at Mao in 2017, it stated.
However, such assurances and declarations have not borne any fruit, it further stated. Till date, the Mao vegetables vendors are struggling to sell their products, it added.
