US body to work with retailers for better farm-to-fork linkage

Wall Street Journal 4 May 2007

Mumbai: Organized retailers looking for help in sourcing fresh agricultural produce that matches the like of ITC Ltd's e-Choupal model, have a new friend to turn to.
US Agency for International Development (USAID) is working to bring farmers and retailers together on a common platform using information and communication technology that will help farmers improve their productivity and supply produce as per the retailers demands.

That's under USAID's growth-oriented micro-enterprise development programme (GMED).

"We are in serious discussions with Metro Cash and Carry, Tata Chemicals and FieldFresh Foods, a joint venture between Bharti Enterprises and UK finance group Rothschild, in organizing farmer production bases and integrating these into the retailers' fresh produce supply chain", said Donald Taylor, India GMED programme manager.

Full story at http://www.livemint.com/2007/05/04013505/US-body-to-work-with-retailers.html