Agri crop prices now an SMS away for farmers

MUMBAI: From October 1, the state government will launch a special SMS service for farmers, Agriwatch. The government has teamed up with Reuters Market Light to help farmers find out the best possible price deals. Through this service, farmers will get to know crop prices in major commodity markets in the state, which, in turn, will help them get the best possible rate for their produce. It would be inaugurated on October 1 in Pune, officials told ET.

The facility would cost Rs 60 per month for a farmer and ensure that he gets rid of his dependence on intermediaries, officials in the state’s co-operation and marketing department said. “The service can easily be activated by any farmer with a cellphone connection.

All he has to do is to register himself with Reuters Market Light by sending an SMS to any of the numbers that the firm will advertise. Once registered, he would continue to get information, inputs, market trends, leads and prices. He can also send in his queries,” Sudhir Goel, principal secretary, co-operation and marketing, told ET.

Ranjit Pawar, head of operations, Reuters Market Light, was all gung-ho about the service and its prospects. “... the service promises to be a huge hit among the farmers. Between May and July this year, some 7,000 farmers got themselves registered. The initial registration was free of cost, but even the paid registration facility is likely to be availed by more than 4,000 farmers in the next three-four weeks,” Mr Pawar said.