Set up in 1988, this Division is the self-appointed, loyal and trusted friend
of the farmer. It is constantly in search of ways to make agriculture sustainable and profitable especially for the small-holding farmer as well as the one who grows cotton, the riskiest crop.
With its involvement in organic and Fairtrade movements, the Division seeks equity for the farmer and at the same time reaches out to a fast–growing customer base that chooses to use its purchasing power to positively impact the hitherto disadvantaged farmer.
The Division pioneered the creation of a service–cum–business model to provide total support to farmers to enhance their productivity and income.
The total support is provided through 20 Agri-Service Centres located in 7 Indian states that attend to 45,000 farmers.
Based on a one–window concept, the Centres provide expert technical guidance free of cost; offer high–quality inputs at reasonable price and take care of output marketing with value addition for cotton, rice, wheat, raisins as well as for rotational crops such as castor, sesame and a variety of legumes / pulses.
With the rise of the organic consumer worldwide, the Division pioneered and organized the farmers to produce organic cotton and food items including organic paddy sesame, wheat and castor.
Agrocel also saw the opportunity for added prosperity for the farmer in the Fairtrade movement. To begin with it took up the cause of cotton and became the first certified supplier of Fairtrade cotton to the United Kingdom. This cotton brand goes by the name of Agrocel Pure & Fair.
The Division has the distinction of being the first Indian supplier of Fairtrade certified raisins. Another first is Fairtrade basmati rice which the Division grows in Khaital district in the state of Haryana in northern India.
With basmati rice cultivated in Haryana in the north, cotton grown in Raichur, Selur and Jolarpettai in the south as well as in Orissa in the east; and raisins in Maharashtra in the west, the Division has established its fair trade footprint all over the country. This widely spread network also enables the procurement of other food crops such as legumes and cashews, food items including honey, saffron and the quintessential Indian fruit �� the mango.
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