Tata Chemicals joins Irish firm for cash and carry
Business Standard — May 13, 2008

Tata Chemicals, a Tata group company, and Khet-Se Agriproduce, an Ireland-based Total Produce joint venture company, have launched their wholesale business for fresh fruits and vegetables sourcing, packaging and distribution in Punjab.

The company has opened a new procurement and distribution facility in Malerkotla, Punjab, as a part of the B2B initiative, for catering to requirements of Ludhiana and Patiala.

It is also expected to begin operations in Mumbai in the next six months.

"Being in the forefront of this exciting time provides us with an opportunity to innovate and create a new business model that will be a first of its kind in the country," Khet-Se Agriproduce India Chairman Homi Khusrokhan said in a statement.

"There is nothing more satisfying for our business than the fact that it is contributing to the upliftment of farmers and small retailers and enabling them to grow, not by handing out sops, but by making the basic tenets of their business self-sustaining.

" The distribution centre has the facility of sorting, grading and packing of all fresh produce with four ripening chambers of 10 mt capacity each (to ripen fruits like banana) and an equal number of cold storages of 25 mt each.

Khet-Se will only cater to registered B2B customers such as small retailers, organised retailers, institutional segments comprising hotels, restaurants and caterers.

"Tata Chemicals has strong links with Indian farmers with its sales of fertilisers, chemicals and other grower requirements through its network of Tata Kisan Sansar distribution centres throughout India, which will help Khet-Se have a big advantage in sourcing high-quality fresh produce," Total Produce Corporate Development MD Eugene Caulfield said.

Khet-Se plans to partner with small retailers and help them in developing competencies to manage their business more effectively.

"The initiative aims to bridge the gap between producer and end consumer, which will significantly increase efficiencies, improve shelf life and reduce product loss in the supply chain," Khet Agriproduce India Chief Executive G R Goves said.

"For this, it has already partnered with farmers to develop their skills to raise the quality of Indian farm produce through training on good agricultural practices," he said.