ITC has evolved from being a leading agri commodity exporter to a
major player across the agri value chain. The Company is currently executing a
trailblazing, internet-based intervention which has the potential to contribute
significantly to the transformation of rural India.
This unique intervention, christened
‘e-Choupal’, carries the potential to address several issues confronting the
competitiveness of the Indian agri value chain. ‘e-Choupal’ delivers to the
smallest of farmers real-time information and customised knowledge in the local language
to improve their decision-making ability. It thereby facilitates the alignment of farm
output to market demands. It also catalyses improvements in quality and productivity,
thereby enhancing rural incomes. The model helps aggregate demand in the manner of a
virtual producers' co-operative, helping farmers access cost-effective, higher quality
farm inputs. The ‘e-Choupal’ initiative also creates a direct marketing channel
for the farmers’ produce, eliminating wasteful intermediation and multiple handling,
thus reducing transaction costs and making logistics efficient. ‘e-Choupal’
already reaches out to over 2.4 million farmers.
Investment in ‘e-Choupal’ also
strengthens the Company’s two-way rural linkage by placing ITC in a unique position
of trust with the farming community as a reliable supplier of goods and services, thereby
supporting its own competitiveness. In order to effectively leverage the market created
through enhanced rural incomes, ITC is engaged in executing several pilots in rural
marketing including farm inputs, consumer durables, vehicles, insurance and marketing
services through the ‘e-Choupal’ infrastructure.
As a buyer of agri produce, ITC currently
focuses on sourcing and exporting feed ingredients, food grains, edible nuts, marine
products and processed fruits. ITC recently commenced export of chillies. The Company has
also gained a beachhead entry into the export of high value organic produce. ITC has, in a
short span, established itself as a first-choice supply chain partner of several leading
international customers. Its customer-centric focus has enabled it to achieve a reputation
for quality, reliability and value-added services. |
