After helping ITC cut costs, now e-Choupal model set for an upgrade

Depending on who and where, the e-Choupal model has resulted in higher farmer incomes, anywhere between 70 per cent and 300 per cent

S Sivakumar, a young manager, came up with a proposal of Rs 50 lakh and placed it before then ITC chairman, Y C Deveshwar, to set up e-Choupals, a model that leveraged internet power to empower small and marginal farmers.

But after much deliberation and realising the potential, a much bigger Rs 10-crore budget was approved, and the e-Choupal was born.

Over the past 20 years it has not only become a showcase project and an important part of ITC's agri-sourcing infrastructure, but also translated into higher incomes for farmers. Depending on who and where, the e-Choupal model has resulted in higher