Walmart scales up procurement from Indian agricultural supply chain

US giant cash and carry Walmart Stores has announced plans to increase its volume of agricultural products sourced from its Indian supply chain. The retail giant has agreed a joint venture with the Bharti Group which will see its supply chain extend to 35,000 farmers by 2015.??"I am pleased to announce that Bharti Walmart would be directly sourcing from 35,000 small and medium farmers by 2015," Walmart Stores Inc president and CEO Mike T Duke told India-based newspaper The Economic Times.??He added that the deal will benefit one million farmer and farm workers: "We will help them by providing skills and technology for crop management. By doing all these we hope that the farmers will see at least a 20% increase in their income levels."??

According to the report, currently the 50:50 cash and carry joint venture, Bharti Walmart, works with 550 farmers in the country. Walmart and other non-Indian-owned retail companies are barred by Indian law from operating anything other than wholesale operations in the country.??Duke added that the company aims to help Indian farmers make the best use of resources such as water and fertiliser. "The target is to train 40,000 students in the next five years and place at least 15,000 students in the next five years," Duke told The Economic Times.?

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