Established by Vijaya Pastala, and built on the foundation that human and economic security is achieved, UTMT partners and supports rural farmers, producer networks and communities across India, working in organic certified and non-chemical managed agriculture and forest produce based on sustainable farming and fair trade practices.

While the front-end of UTMT, the company is a market-focused, customer-centric, and profit-driven business enterprise, the UTMT Trust provides back-end support to this social enterprise through technical and capacity building, credit linkages and institutional development support that strives to improve the quality of life of primary producer families.

The Hive, a UTMT endeavor promotes community-based beekeeping. Its main objective is to support, train and partner with beekeepers across the country in the production and marketing of high quality single flora gourmet honey that is available seasonally across India.

Company strategies for achieving its aims include:

Sourcing:
• Fairly traded, organic certified products directly from rural producers;

Manufacturing, marketing and retailing:
• Wholesale marketing for bulk opportunities direct from supplier to buyer; and
• Manufacturing and retailing select products under its own brand name;

Service provision:
• Technical and capacity inputs to enhance quality of products being sourced;
• Provision and/or facilitation of start up capital and credit;
• Education and awareness on fair trade and life in rural India through:
     • Student-corporate internships; and
     • Eco-tourism and re-energizing retreats.

Product Portfolio
• Organic Certified USDA NOP, EEC 2092/91 and NPOP cereals; pulses; cotton, tea, vegetable & plant based oils; various essential oils; herbs, spices; other botanicals such as aloe vera, soap nuts; honey and beeswax.
• Wild-collected non-timber forest products such as honey & beeswax, seabuckthorn products, medicinal & aromatic herbs, soap nuts, and other botanicals.

About Vijaya Pastala

Currently based in Mumbai, Vijaya has worked in Washington DC and New Delhi with the Aga Khan Foundation, DFID, India and the World Bank. Her interests focus on developing community-based, pro-poor approaches for environmentally sustainable economic development in India. Vijaya completed her Master’s in Regional Planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her Bachelor’s in International Relations from Mount Holyoke College.

Contact Information:
Vijaya Pastala
Under The Mango Tree
9C Oyster Apartments
Pilot Bunder Road, Colaba
Mumbai 400005, India

Tel: +91-9833154478
Email: utmt.in@gmail.com
Website: www.utmt.in
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