Farmers to sell Alphonso mangoes directly to customers online

The society's online ordering portal is now opening up for the market and has targeted biz of Rs 2 cr form Devgad region alone

After books, clothes, CDs, accessories, mobiles its time to buy  Alphonso mangoes online or its just at one mouse click directly from farmers in Devgad and Ratnagiri in Maharashtra is now entering into e-commerce to take Alphonso mangoes directly from its members' farms to customers' homes.

The society's online ordering portal www.devgadmango.com was in a pilot testing for the last two seasons and is now opening up for the market.

Founded in 1987, the society is of 700 farmers from Devgad Taluka, in Sindhudurga district  growing the Devgad Alphonso mango.  It is the largest and oldest co-operative society among mango farmers in the country. This years, society has targeted business of Rs 2 crore form Devgad region alone.

Speaking on this e-commerce initiative by the society,  Ajit Gogate who is a former MLA and chairman of Devgad Taluka Amba Utpadak Sahakari Sanstha Ltd said, "Currently, we are accepting online orders only for Mumbai and Pune region. The portal was started two years a go on experimental basis and the response was overwhelming. as a result, we have oboserved increase of 10 to 20 per cent in mango sales. Apart from sales our goal is  to popularise our Devgad mangoes and since we are a co-operative society of Devgad mango farmers, only the Devgad Alphonso is available on our website."

Within a month of the site's official launch they had more than 1,000 customers and many more inquiries. "However, customers gave an encouraging response. Many were buying a fake 'Devgad' Alphonso mango from the market for years, but realised the authentic taste only from the fruit they bought from us," he added.

The society then decided to focus on the online model and strengthen various processes like payments, mango purchases, deliveries and storage in Pune, the first city it explored in 2011.

"This is the first time any group or co-operative society of farmers - who otherwise have to depend on mandis to sell their produce - is venturing online in a direct-to-home initiative said, Omkar Sapre, chief marketing officer, Devgad Taluka Amba Utpadak Sahakari Sanstha Ltd.

The co-operative society is constructing the  largest mango processing factory in Devgad with part share capital funding by Government of Maharashtra. The factory will start its production in May 2013.