The Hindu Business Line : Carrefour to step up vegetable sourcing from India

The company, which is mulling to open its first cash and carry outlet in India during the current fiscal, has also initiated a series of CSR activities to train farmers in global farming practices.

“We have stepped up our sourcing from India. In the fresh food category, we have already sourced over 400 tonnes of farm produce since January. These produces are supplied to our retail stores in West Asia and Europe,” Mr Herve Clec’h, Managing Director, Carrefour WC&C India, told Business Line.

Direct dealing

Carrefour currently procures mangoes, pomegranates, onions, cucumber as also mixed vegetables. It works with over 90 suppliers/farmers in Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab and Haryana; directly dealing with the farmers for quality production and effective supply chain management. It hopes to double its sourcing by the end of this fiscal.

According to an analyst tracking the sector, Carrefour currently exports goods worth $170 million from India.

Incidentally, India is also one of its trading offices since a decade. The other two includes Thailand and Spain. The world’s second largest retail group by sales has been looking to enter India both for its front end as well as its cash and carry venture.

“India is a long-term investment for us and we are keen on building the supply chain,” Mr Clec’h said. Last month, it had a meeting with over 600 suppliers.

“Every market we enter, we work closely with local producers, farmers, agricultural cooperatives and manufacturers. In most Carrefour stores, around 90 per cent of the sold items are locally sourced,” he added.

Training farmers

Speaking on the company’s CSR activities, he said Carrefour’s CSR activities to train farmers in best farming practices have been implemented in North India. Over 400 farmers have benefited from the association.

“Our aim is to train over 800 farmers by the end of year. We want to cover farmers in belts of Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi and NCR,” he said, adding the farmers trained may or may not be among its future suppliers.

The CSR team also teaches them negotiation techniques and how to negotiate the best price for their produce. It also provides guidance on crops besides also building storage bins. “The idea to tackle the problems faced by the farmers at the ground level itself,” he said.

More Stories on : Horticulture/Fruits & Vegetables | Retailing | Outsourcing

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Mainland weather lapses into pre-monsoon times

Area under cotton, soya may increase

Inflation rate remains unchanged at 0.61%

Carrefour to step up vegetable sourcing from India

Spot rubber rules steady

Rise in dust tea offer at Coonoor auctions

E-auction impasse affects Kochi tea sales

Pepper futures fall sharply

Campco to launch choco products for kitchens