While there is still some excitement in the air about the India US Mango-Harley deal, and while things are bound to continue heating up with the relaxed emissions for the Harleys, something positive did catch my eye about the mangoes.
It seems like some farmers in Karnataka have come together to form a consortium of sorts and create a brand around their Totapuri mangoes. Of note -
Of course they are openly inspired by that icon of co-operatives Amul. However, lest these farmers get a little complacent, they better make sure of a few things.
And while I am personally not a big fan of the Totapuris (I feel they are very sweet but lack a distinctly delightful flavor) I think this is a great thing. There is the obvious strength in numbers, a co-operative is a loot less susceptible to exploitation by big agro. Then there are all the benefits of building a well respected brand that Amul has shown so well. The expertise that would be shared between the farmers would help. Plus the benefits of scale will help not only the farmer but also the consumers of their fruit. Lets hope this works out and we have a healthy venture.
It seems like some farmers in Karnataka have come together to form a consortium of sorts and create a brand around their Totapuri mangoes. Of note -
Now, news comes from Krishnagiri, the Tamil Nadu district bordering Karnataka that mango farmers in the area are contributing Rs 1,000 each as equity to create a consortium that will sell their pulpy Thothapuri mangoes under a specially created brand, Krishmaa.
Of course they are openly inspired by that icon of co-operatives Amul. However, lest these farmers get a little complacent, they better make sure of a few things.
The flip side of this would be that farmers needed to ensure quality and logistics to match their brands. Brands give identity and may yield a premium. But volumes must be sufficient to justify spending on brand-building. To ensure that there are enough mangoes to justify the supply chain, farmers need to spend on irrigation, crop insurance and pest control as well. This would mean raising the bar – and the costs.
And while I am personally not a big fan of the Totapuris (I feel they are very sweet but lack a distinctly delightful flavor) I think this is a great thing. There is the obvious strength in numbers, a co-operative is a loot less susceptible to exploitation by big agro. Then there are all the benefits of building a well respected brand that Amul has shown so well. The expertise that would be shared between the farmers would help. Plus the benefits of scale will help not only the farmer but also the consumers of their fruit. Lets hope this works out and we have a healthy venture.
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