KOCHI: India's homegrown e-commerce marketplace Flipkart has joined hands with the Spices Board to provide promote and provide national access to farmers and grassroots organisations working in the spices sector from all regions of the country.
For this purpose, Flipkart announced a partnership through a Terms of Understanding (ToU) with Flavourit Spices Trading Limited (FSTL), an initiative of the Spices Board. "This development will help sustain the passion for Indian spices and farmers in this sector and bring online a variety of spices such as black pepper, Kashmiri saffron, honey, cinnamon, cardamom, and Lakadong turmeric, to name a few," a release said here.
The ToU was signed under the Flipkart Samarth program, which aims to empower MSMEs, artisans, entrepreneurs, and rural seller and farmer communities selling products associated with rich cultural heritage through Flipkart’s e-commerce platform. The ToU was signed at the headquarters of the Spices Board in Kochi, in the presence of D Sathiyan, secretary, Spices Board India, Dr. A.B Rema Shree, director (research), Spices Board, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, and Neil Christopher Castelino, director - corporate affairs, Flipkart Group.
Talking about the partnership, Sathiyan said, Through the Flipkart Samarth program, Spices Board aims to drive inclusive and sustainable business growth for small and marginal spice growers. "The Flipkart platform will also act as a trade channel for farmers to sell their products on a digital marketplace.”
Rajneesh Kumar, chief corporate affairs officer, Flipkart Group, said, this partnership will enable pan-India market access for farmers, and grassroots organizations working in the spices sector while further augmenting our commitment to the social and economic development of our stakeholders. "As a homegrown company, we want to unlock the potential of local farmer communities with the benefits of e-commerce and contribute to their growth and livelihood. This partnership will help fortify this vision,” he said.
Flavourit Spices Trading Ltd is an initiative under the auspices of the Spices Board. The company aims at the export, organic production, and certification of 52 spices, including small and large cardamom. The Spices Board is also focused on developing farmer communities with the adoption of technology and financial assistance.
Flipkart has also partnered with various farmer-producer organizations across the country to boost access to local staples and augment income for farmer communities on its platform. Flipkart Samarth is a nationwide initiative that aims to help skilled artisan communities set up their business on the Flipkart Marketplace in an efficient, transparent, and cost-effective manner.