Farmers profit as ITC sells Himachal apples

Uzhavar Sandhai, a good plan might have dropped in TN govt however the same mode of operation is successful in ITC-IBD. The major concern about this project to reduce the brokerage and increase the profit to Farmer end. Since echoupal is successfull IBD started open their hand widely to move to some other products. They started with APPLEs as an experiment and succeeded in that also. Look at the review from portal


ITC has in collaboration with the state-run Himachal Pradesh Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corp(HPMC) for the first time purchased apples from select farmers and just finished selling them in India's metropolitan centres.

"ITC with help from HPMC procured almost 13,000 boxes of apple valued at around Rs.6 million," said C.R.B. Lalit, the managing director of HPMC.

"The fruit was procured from selected orchards and sold by ITC in selected outlets. ITC paid the farmers immediately. HPMC has been paid a commission of Rs.25 a box for providing local help to ITC," he said.

Many farmers who sold their produce to ITC seem satisfied.

"I got a 30 percent higher price than what the average apple farmers sell at to commission agents in several cities across India," said Ranjeet Mehta, an apple farmer from Kotgarh.

Even though the apple procured by ITC is only a fraction (13,000 boxes, each box weighs around 22 kg) of the total produce of 230 million boxes in the state, many feel this could mark the entry of bigger players into this industry.[Link]