The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Hopes for fair price for farmers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 25, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Hopes for fair price for farmers

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI: Reliance Retail hopes to bring "prosperity of scale" to Tamil Nadu's farmers through the sourcing and supply chain for its Reliance Fresh outlets.

Ninety five per cent of fresh fruits and vegetables sold at the stores are sourced from farmers. Under its Ranger Farms concept, the company has set up 10 collection centres across the State, with 10 more to come up soon. The produce will be cleaned, graded and distributed at a centre at Puzhal.

This will eliminate middlemen and pay farmers a cash-down, fair price for quality produce, says Gunender Kapoor, president, agribusiness, Reliance Retail.

Farmers will get not only market access but also advice on market demand — what vegetables to grow, how much and when. Ultimately, these collection centres will graduate into 40 rural business hubs across the State, which will help to improve farm productivity through technology and mechanisation and offer services such as credit, insurance, health and veterinary care.

The speedy, refrigerated transport and logistics infrastructure being developed by the company will soon be available to the retail industry at large through a cash and carry wholesale format. "This means even your local pushcart vendor could be selling vegetables sourced by Reliance," says Mr. Kapoor.

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