THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A recent e-commerce initiative by three innovative, city-based techies, freshcave.com, might make the day for employed couples or elderly citizens who find it tedious to shop for vegetables, especially with the skyrocketing prices.
Mufthi Nujum, Linju Laurence and Ajay Jose developed Freshcave.com from their initial aspiration to launch an e-commerce platform to aid a social cause. Interestingly, the three decided to offer their services on a web platform where a customer can place orders for cut vegetables which do not have pesticide contamination.
Meanwhile, Vegetable and Food Promotion Council, Keralam (VFPCK) assisted the group in the formulation and execution of the idea in a bid to distribute vegetables at cheap rates which are procured from local farmers. The web portal was also envisaged as a portal that could also work as an effective medium to connect local farmers and customers.
A packet of 400 gm cut vegetables which would suffice for a ‘sambar’ or ‘avial’ for a five-member family costs Rs 20 in the portal. The customers can also go in for 250 gm cut vegetable for ‘thoran’ at Rs 20.
According to the chief of operation of Freshcave Mufthi Nujum, after one-and-a-half months of the service launch, it has received a good reception from working couples, those from especially from Technopark.
“They say that they are ready to pay more for delivery charges. It shows how helpful it can be for those who reach home late after work. Moreover, there are no associated health hazards like those we buy in the market,” he said.
The vegetables are procured from Farmers’ Cooperative Society at Kalliyoor gram panchayat near Vellayani.
Depending on the orders received, the procured vegetables are organically treated by dipping in a solution developed by College of Agriculture at Vellayani, to remove possible presence of any insecticide or pesticide.
Though most of the vegetables are procured from the farmer society, some of vegetables have to bought from neighbouring markets in Tamil Nadu owing to lack availability.
“Things would be at ease once we establish tie-ups with more farmer groups. Talks are on with Santhigiri Ashram,” added Mufthi.
Currently, Freshcave delivers the orders only on Mondays and Thursdays. Orders up to Sunday will be delivered on Monday and orders up to Wednesday would be delivered on Thursday.
However, Mufthi said that their services would be made available on a daily basis soon.