This engineer-turned-farmer has ensured technological convergence in farming after developing an online platform for consumers to place orders for vegetables and fruits so that the required quantum could be sourced from farmers and delivered at their doorsteps.
Chetan Dabake, 30, an active member of Bidar Horticultural Farmers Producers Company Limited, has developed www.raithanamitra.in. “Consumers can place their orders with a minimum purchase of ₹100. The orders are in the four categories – vegetables, leafy vegetables, fruits, and ripen-yourself-mangoes under which consumers can buy green mangoes and ripen them at their homes through traditional methods,” he says. “The door-delivery system on behalf of the FPO began on April 14 in Bidar and we are about to extend it to Belagavi.” According to him, there are about 2,300 consumers for the organisation so far in Bidar.
Mr. Dabake, a civil engineer with an MBA degree, says he took to farming as it was his passion. Earlier in February, he was honoured by the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) with the ‘innovative farmer award’.
“I have realised that 10% is growing crops while 90% is marketing. Hence direct and innovative marketing is the key to make agriculture a profitable venture,” he says.
He is planning to extend the scope of door-delivery to all parts of the State.