IFFCO begins free delivery of agri-inputs purchased via digital platform

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Fertiliser cooperative major IFFCO on Wednesday announced the launch of free door-to-door delivery of agri-inputs purchased through its digital platform.

IFFCO has recently launched the Indian Cooperative Digital Platform (ICDP) called www.iffcobazar.in, which is available in 13 major Indian languages with a membership of 25 million.

The objective of the portal is to provide a digital platform for communication and commerce between farmers/consumers and IFFCO and its group companies.

"We are truly delighted to announce our latest and exclusive and free of cost door-step delivery services through a robust rural network to simplify the agri-business. Farmers would be able to procure agri-inputs instantly by the click of a button through our digital platform," IFFCO Managing Director U S Awasthi said in a statement.

As a first-of-its-kind industry initiative, ICDP will offer the delivery services even in interior rural areas where not even the leading e-commerce players have ever offered their services in the current scenario.

According to the IFFCO, farmers will be able buy via the online platform an entire range of essential agri-inputs such as water-soluble fertilisers, agro-chemicals, bio-fertilisers, seeds, plant growth promoters and other agro-based products.

These products will be available in packages of up to 5 kg and will be delivered at no additional cost, the IFFCO said.

"Traditional fertiliser products like Urea, DAP, NPK, etc would not be sold online," the IFFCO noted.

IFFCO is training and creating awareness among farmers on how to use the online and digital payment gateways.

"Going forward, we plan to convert this platform into a thriving digital marketplace where farmers and cooperative societies can buy and sell their produce online without going through the vicious cycle of middlemen and touts who eat away a large chunk of their profits," Awasthi said.

IFFCO's ICDP aims to bring on board all the 50 million IFFCO member farmers and the 36,000 cooperatives in the country on a single digital platform.