Telangana farmer uses technology to reach consumers directly

Hyderabad: A young progressive farmer has hit upon an idea to sell mangoes from his farm directly to people avoiding middlemen.
Kondapalli Sharath, from Mancherial, has been inundated with requests to buy farm fresh organic mangoes ever since he expressed his intention to sell his produce directly to people. “I may not make any profit, but I will not give my produce to agents,” Sharath announced on social media on April 28.
He said he would travel 300km from Mancherial along the GodavarikhaniPedddapalli-KarimnagarSiddipet route and reach Hyderabad with the mangoes. He plans to use social media to ensure his mangoes reach people.
He gave a whatsapp link for people to join to let them know in which village he has stopped. “I am only hoping I do not make any losses,” he said, adding that he had taken this initiative to encourage farmers to directly sell their produce and avoid middlemen who jack up prices.
Sharath’s announcement of his direct sale of mangoes to people got more than 200 shares on Facebook. “Since I am flooded by requests from people to buy the mangoes, I have decided to do an FB live to show people where I am along the route from Mancherial to Hyderabad,” Sharath announced on Friday.
A paediatrician in Jagtial, Allala Srinivas Reddy, who saw Sharath’s post expressed his desire to buy mangoes and suggested Sharath explore the possibility of using TSRTC’s cargo services.