The world is on the smartphone. There isn’t an aspect of our lives that hasn’t been touched by technology. Food, clothing, house-hunting, banking, investing, entertainment and much more. Everything is available through a click on a screen. Apps have made our lives easier. Our experience of purchase(and selling) has been made much better. From being able to view all available options to tracking the status of your order, everything contributes to a better Customer Experience for you.
However, this innovative approach had been missing from one important area of trade– agriculture. Even today, most trades in Mandis are done orally or on handwritten notes. The farmer must rely on the ‘word of mouth’ of the merchant to get paid fairly. The entire ecosystem of agriculture trade appears to be dependent on the honour of a few men.
The process of making the trade is also full of hassles. In the mandi, a normal trade takes about 6-7 hours to complete. The record of the transaction is done on flimsy paper receipts or even oral assurance. Any error in recording the particulars can mean a loss for the farmer or even the trader.
The measurement of the consignment is done based on the number of sacs. The merchant weighs one sack and multiplies the weight by the number of sacs the farmer is selling. Unsurprisingly, this method is inefficient and fraught with losses.
Here is how Ninjacart is changing that:
Time-efficiency
When a farmer sells his produce to us in one of our CCs, the entire trade is completed within 3 hours. Our streamlined processes ensure that no time or effort is wasted.
Accountability
Immediately after the trade is completed, the farmer receives an SMS on his registered mobile number. The SMS provides a concise summary of the particulars of the trade.
With a digital record in place, the farmer can rest assured that the deal will be honoured. It ensures accountability on the part of the other party, which is us.
Accurate Weighing
For fair compensation to all parties, the total payment is calculated on the basis of the net total weight of the consignment, rather than an approximation as in the case in Mandis. What makes this aspect even more important is that we do it in lesser time than the traditional markets.
Digital Payments
The payment is sent digitally to the farmer’s bank account directly. It ensures there isn’t a counting error that often happens in cash transactions. Towards making India a cashless, digital economy, it is essential to include farmers in the digital ecosystem. Facilitating cashless transactions is one more step in our efforts to make Agri-trade smarter.
We talked to Mr Naveen from the Kondlahalli village in the Karnataka state who has been farming since 2016 after leaving his government job. He has been working with Ninjacart since 2019. Here is what he had to say about his experience with Ninjacart,
“Since working with Ninjacart, selling the harvested produce has been a very comfortable experience. For example, earlier if I had to transport a Ton of Brinjal, I used to take it to Hosur, Bathalapalli Vegetables Market and I had to pay up to Rs 5,000 only for transportation.
Now, because of Ninjacart, I’m able to supply the produce in the Collection Centre(CC) and I’m able to save up to 70k-80k on transportation per season.”
Numerous farmers like Naveen have benefited greatly from the simplified Trade Experience that Ninjacart offers. We are poised to create a difference in the lives of Indian farmers through our tech and supply chain innovation.
At Ninjacart, we are motivated to find innovative ways to solve real-world problems that plague the Agri ecosystem in India.
Want to solve with us? Write to bharathwajsrinivasan@ninjacart.com to apply for available positions.
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