Having successfully effected a turnaround after several years of loss-making, the Kerala Forest Development Corporation (KFDC) is now riding the e-commerce wave to find a higher market for its organic products.
In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Corporation has tied up with the global online retail portal, Amazon, to sell the products to be procured from its plantations such as black pepper and cardamom. The products, which till now were available only with the Vanophar eco-shop outlets, can be purchased either directly through the e-commerce portal or through official website of the KFDC.
“Our initial focus on building the capability and based on response, more products such as coffee beans and the famed Marayur sandalwood oil etc. will be added to the product brand. The products are being made available at reasonable prices and in resealable packets and the KFDC will ensure that the products are sustainably harvested, hygienically processed,” said Prakriti Srivasthava, managing director, KFDC.
Expansion of the market for the products, according to the official, will go a long way in enhancing the livelihood of forest communities residing in the KFDC locations. “This project will help us overcome the innate challenges in gaining access to a countrywide market and ensure better income for the beneficiary communities,” she added.
At a brief function held here on Wednesday, Minister for Forests and Wild Life Protection A.K. Saseendran carried out the first online sale. “Kerala’s forests do have a wide array of fine quality products—be it honey or frankincense. Making such products available across the country will also boost tourism products of our forest locations,” noted Mr. Saseendran.
Officials said the online sale initiative formed part of a turnaround programme being implemented by the agency, which clocked its highest operational profit of ₹6.34 crore during the last fiscal. The turnaround had been achieved through a drastic reduction in expenditures coupled with a rebranding of its products, among other things.
