Carrefour, the second-largest retail chain in the world after Walmart, is planning to open its first wholesale cash-and-carry outlet in the eastern part of this city, at the locality of Seelampur.
“We will be opening the outlet very soon. It will take a month or two,” said Franck Kenner, Carrefour India’s spokesperson.
It will be a 55,000 sq ft store and source 90 per cent of its products within the country. The company is working on plans to open a second cash-and-carry outlet in the country soon.
Today, under its sustainable development programme, Carrefour also announced plans to train 15,000 farmers in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana on improving the output of their produce by 2011.
“We have already organised 11 farmer empowerment camps in various villages in UP and Haryana to ensure the productivity of the farmers increases. We are planning to have seven to eight more camps in the next couple of months,” said Yannick Douville, Director (Fresh Products), Carrefour India.
When asked if the company has any plans to train farmers outside north India, Douville said they would address one region first and then move to another.
“Right now, our priority is the north zone because we have our first store opening in Delhi,” he said.
Carrefour exports organic clothing, fresh fruits and vegetables worth $170 million (Rs 800 crore) in a year from India to Europe and other Asian countries.
“Our association with India goes back to the 90s through a trading and sourcing office. This is going to be a very important market for us and by training the farmers, we want to ensure that they know the best methodology to improve crop yield,” said Douville.
The company today organised a women’s empowerment camp in association with the local Kisan Vigyan Kendra at Teekli village in Haryana.
