SMART Project hosts first divisional Buyer–Seller Meet in Nashik to strengthen institutional market linkages

Mumbai: In a landmark initiative to deepen institutional market access for farmer collectives, the ‘Hon. Balasaheb Thackeray Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project’ (SMART Project) hosted its first Divisional Buyer–Seller Meet for the Nashik division. 

The one-day event brought together Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Cluster Based Organisations (CBOs), institutional buyers, and senior government officials on a single platform to facilitate structured, transaction-oriented engagement.

Implemented by the Maharashtra government with assistance from the World Bank and technical support from Palladium Consulting India Pvt. Ltd., the SMART Project aims to strengthen agribusiness ecosystems through value-chain-led rural transformation.

The meeting was addressed by Abhimanyu Kashid, Nodal Officer, Nashik Regional Implementation Unit and Subhash Katkar, Joint Director of Agriculture, Nashik.

The technical sessions of the meet focused on buyer expectations, market trends, quality standards, grading, packaging, and certification requirements. Representatives from leading retail and agri-supply chain companies including Reliance Retail, BigBasket, Flipkart Minutes, Swiggy, Zepto, Sahyadri Farms, Adani Agri Fresh, DeHaat, Vegrow, WayCool and CPF interacted directly with farmers to explore sourcing partnerships.

“Platforms like Buyer-Seller meets are not merely transactional spaces; they are transformational opportunities that strengthen trust, build partnerships, and create sustainable market linkages for our farmers and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs). Under the SMART Project, our core objective has been to strengthen value chain development in a structured and sustainable manner. When we began working closely with CBOs across regions, we identified several systemic challenges that were limiting their growth and profitability,” said Kashid.

“One of the most critical issues was post-harvest loss. Farmers were putting in tremendous effort throughout the production cycle, yet a significant portion of their produce was either wasted or sold at sub-optimal prices due to the lack of proper storage, grading, and processing facilities,” he added.

“Recognizing this gap, the SMART Project intervened strategically. We supported CBOs by facilitating the establishment of processing units and strengthening post-harvest infrastructure. This intervention has not only reduced losses but has also enhanced value addition at the local level. Today, instead of selling raw produce at lower margins, many CBOs are able to clean, grade, process, and package their products, thereby accessing better markets and commanding improved prices. This shift from being mere producers to value creators is a significant milestone in our journey. Another important dimension of our work has been the increased participation of women in CBO operations,” he said.

Katkar pointed out that maize has emerged as a major market-driven crop in the region due to its strong commercial demand. Similar trends are visible in soybean and cotton, which continue to be significant contributors to the state’s agrarian economy. “Nearly 90 per cent of Maharashtra’s cropping pattern today is business-oriented,” he stated, highlighting the structural shift towards commercial agriculture.