Under the leadership of its Chairperson, Smt. Nita Ambani, Reliance Foundation has mentored Kamareddy Progressive Farmers Producer Company Limited (KPFPCL) to achieve new milestones since its inception in 2009. In the first three quarters of 2018-19, KPFPCL’s turnover reached a record ₹ 5.89 Crores, a 9% growth as compared to the turnover from all four quarters last year. Currently there are 2,213 shareholders and a paid up capital of ₹ 0.2 Crores.

Establishment of Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) is one of the key interventions of Reliance Foundation. The FPCs are part of RF’s effort to strengthen the value chain of farm produce, enhance marketability, help the marginal farmers and livestock owners realise better prices and thus, achieve income security. Reliance Foundation helps train farmers to independently manage these companies in the long term. Since its inception in 2010, RF has formed 22 FPCs to empower farmers across 12 states. In 2018-19, the companies altogether have transacted farm and non-farm produce worth over 25.3 Crores benefitting 19,200 families, raising farmers’ incomes significantly and augmenting the farmers’ ability to govern their own institutions effectively.

KPFPCL was formed on the cooperative principles of self-help, equality and democratic functioning for providing services which enhance the livelihoods of farmers. Apart from providing farm inputs and implements to the farmer, its market expansion and enhancement decisions have increased the members’ income.

The last five years have seen a steady increase in the turnover. In 2015-16, the turnover was ₹ 0.96 Crores. 2018- 19 saw a six-fold increase to ₹ 5.89 Crores.

The FPC’s success lies in collective marketing. In 2018, KPFPCL became a minimum support price (MSP) procurement centre for paddy. As a result, 27,756 quintals of paddy, worth ₹ 4.9 Crores, was supplied to rice mills. Similarly, ₹ 1.4 Crores worth of soybean; ₹1.3 Crores worth of maize and cotton worth ₹0.17 Crores were procured. Currently, it has 23 aggregation and distribution centres. KPFPCL has also diversified its profile. In 2018 it took up seed multiplication on 182 hectares and has started distributing government subsidised seeds, for which it procured the distribution centre.

KPFPCL’s success has become the success of the villages. The surplus added to the village economy rose from ₹8.46 Lakhs in 2015-16 to ₹42 Lakhs in 2018-19. In the same period, the number of villages supported has doubled to 30 in 2018-19.

To help ease the farming process for the farmer members, the FPC provides farm inputs and implements to them. During April-August 2018 itself, 3,844 quintals of agricultural inputs (seeds, fertilizers, poultry, manure and weedicides), worth ₹0.73 Crores were provided. KPFPCL also loans out the two harvesters it purchased to farmer members. This has reduced a two week long harvesting process to half a day. Additionally, it has provided drip and sprinklers units to the farmer members and also helps farmers to utilise the subsidies given by the governments. In 2018-19 alone 3,500 farmers were supported by the FPC.

Empowered with its success so far, KPFPCL is setting its goals high. By 2025 it aims to have 10,000 shareholders, a turnover of ₹50 Crores and ₹5 Crores additional value creation to members each year.