Time to introduce online agricultural supply chain

It is widely known that, during the initial days of the lockdown in 2020, farmers and wholesalers around the country had to struggle for delivering their products to the markets of large cities. Consequently, farmers suffered from a strain in their revenue. Simultaneously, consumers endured inflated prices due to lack of supplies.

This bottleneck in supply chain erupted because of our backdated supply chain. Farmers usually sell their produce to a wholesaler who carries them from the countryside to large cities and supplies it to retail sellers or other wholesalers. In most cases, this supply chain is uncoordinated.

Since the WHO has signalled about the break out of more pandemics in the upcoming decades coupled with projected climactic disasters, we have to get prepared to face such dire situations. Proper and effective coordination between farmers and main retailers can be only beneficial for all involved parties. If agricultural supply chain can adopt advanced and efficient ways of supplying goods, it can operate smoothly even during a crisis moment.
A supply chain can be developed based primarily on the usage of technology. The digital platform can be an android application or website where local farmers--those produce agro products on business purposes will make a community--and the retailers will be directly connected. Farmers will come up with a product list and expected price list and submit that to the retail company. Again, the retailers can also give their demand of particular goods--while farmers will respond accordingly.

However, by the end of the day, the farmers will collectively receive an order for their produce. On the very next day the products will be sold directly to the retailers. Money will be transferred through online banking system or agent banking system. In order to allow the farmers to reduce the cost of products and transporting them more efficiently, the retailers can provide the farmers with transportation facilities.

In this arrangement, both farmers and retailers will be benefited, since there will be no middleman involved. In addition, customers will be able to purchase goods at a reasonable price. Consequently, artificial market manipulation will be reduced largely and stability will be ensured in the market.

Once the online platform is kicked off, the innovative adoption of technology into the agricultural supply chain will spread fast. Considering the current reality and possible upcoming challenges in agro supply chain, this assimilation of technology in agro marketing is not a gimmick but an absolute necessity.

It will help the government to monitor the market also. Now it is time the stakeholders take effective initiative to build an online agricultural supply chain.