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Reuters launches mobile information service for Indian farmers

Indiantelevision.com Team

(1 October 2007 8:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Reuters has launched a mobile information service Reuters Market Light (RML) for Indian farmers. RML offers Indian farmers up-to-date local and customised commodity pricing information, news and weather updates.

RML also helps farmers to enhance their crop yields and improve their productivity over a very wide range of produce including onion, cotton, soybean, pulses, pomegranates and oranges.

An official press release stated that Reuters will be soon developing RML to a full mobile news, information and price facilitator.

Reuters is planning to launch RML on a full commercial basis. RML will now introduce a small customer charge of Rs 60 per month. RML will also now be rolled out across other rural areas in India, extending its offering beyond Maharashtra State.

Reuters Chief Executive Tom Glocer said, "The pilot programme was an unequivocal success and now, rolling out Reuters Market Light across India will signal a very important milestone in its adoption as a standard for the Indian agricultural industry.I am thrilled to support the progress of RML. This innovative information service for the Indian farmer reflects the best tradition of Reuters - promoting transparency and fairness in market operations around the world. "

RML M D Amit Mehra said, "The farming community in India is one of the largest in the world, but despite its size it remains a relatively opaque market in which to operate. The rural and often remote nature of the community makes it incredibly difficult for farmers, especially those with small holdings, to get even the most basic information."

"Reuters Market Light provides crucial, local and customised agricultural information for Indian farmers via mobile phones, including crop prices, weather updates and other agric-related news. The aim is to facilitate greater transparency in the Indian agricultural markets allowing individual farmers to increase their productivity and maximise their revenue," Mehra added.