DCM Shriram to double virtual agri malls next year

DCM Shriram Consolidated Ltd (DSCL) plans to double the number of its virtual agricultural malls""Haryali Kissan Bazaars "" by next year. It also proposes to add more activities and services in these centres to increase their utility to farmers.

According DSCL chairman Ajay Shriram, 16 Haryali bazaars have already been set up and this number is proposed to be raised to 32 in one year.

"The objective behind setting up these bazaars is not merely to provide the farmers all inputs of good quantity at the right price under one roof but also to meet his requirements of technical guidance and other relevant services," he told Business Standard.

The concept had been received well by the farmers and these bazaars have managed to win their trust. It generally took about a year for a new Bazaar to break even, he said.

Talking about the expansion of services, he said some of the Haryali outlets have been helping farmers in taking up seed multiplication of suitable varieties of crops like paddy, wheat, soyabean and mustard.

"The availability of better quality and graded seeds has helped farmers to raise crop productivity," Shriram pointed out.

Some of the units also roped in farmers for contract farming to produce goods like garlic and potato for user companies. Besides providing assured market to the farmers for their produce, it also helps the user companies get the product of the desired quality.

Petrol pumps were also proposed to be added to these bazaars to supply pure petrol and diesel to the farmers through accurately calibrated machines.

To begin with, BPCL was setting up petrol pumps adjoining two Haryali bazaars ""in Shahjahanpur and Ferozepur. Eleven more petrol pumps were in the pipeline, he said.

Shriram said banks were being approached to set up their branches or counters in these bazaars. Future plans included provision of information services and linking up these bazaars with commodity exchanges. Supplying consumer goods used by a farm household, such as grocery items, might also be considered at a later date, he said.