Mr. Anand Chandra, Entrepreneur, Co-founder and Executive Director, Arya.ag
We at Boingam We aim to share with our community of entrepreneurs the inspirational stories that have come from the entrepreneurial community.
In the course of this endeavor we also invited another entrepreneur who is passionate, The Mr. Anand Chandra, Executive Director and Co-founder of Arya.ag Interview with us.
What was the process that led you to the idea or concept you have for your business?
We had been working with an Bank managing Rural Banking portfolios for many years prior to Arya.ag was founded, and we realized that, due to more expensive transaction costs and service-related issues, banks were having difficulty operating in both secondary and primary markets.
We were able to observe the gap in the close to primary market for farmers and secondary markets. We realized that in order to create a model that reaches the lowest point in the food chain, then we needed to be in the same place that the farmers are.
and then create an integrated solution that meets their requirements using the most effective of digital technology to ensure the strategy can be sustained and expandable.
What is it that makes Arya.ag distinct from the rest of the ecosystem?
We started with little capital, and it was essential to leverage technologies to benefit us to make us more efficient and faster. efficient.
Our turnaround time is among the highest in the market and that’s because at Arya.ag we’ve successfully integrated technological innovation in the present and future of our customers.
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Our integrated model serves the most marginal of stakeholders with the least amount of cost yet at the at the same time, it is sustainable for us.
We are the only large-scale agritech startup that is profitable. Our reach , which is 56% of the districts across the 21 states we work in is unmatched.
Was your objective in the beginning?
Small-scale business owners and farmers in rural areas were struggling to find services, whereas in the city there were plenty of choices.
Our goal was to develop an inclusive and sustainable model for post-harvest agri-services, especially for people who are at the margins of the spectrum.
We had developed the blueprint for financing warehouse receipts in our previous experience in an Bank and believed that we could be able to change the agri-services industry within rural India in a sustainable and sustainable manner.
We have acted on this intuition and today Arya.ag helps more than 6.5 Lakh farmers, and 500 farmers’ cooperatives to assures a growth rate of 15 to 25% in their value creation.
The Workforce at Arya.ag
We’ve been extremely fortunate in forming a driven team who has worked with us through the toughest times.
We’re currently at 1600 employees and expanding. The top management team is comprised of agriculturalists and bankers which could be the reason why we have achieved success in scaling our business in the manner we have, and have been profitable since the beginning of our first year.
The desire to make an the most impact is the reason our solutions stand out and why the trust we create between supply and demand is important.
Arya.ag’s Short-term and Long-term goals- Vision
We are considering expanding the volume of our market/commerce linkage beyond the current ARR of 200Mn USD to USD 1Bn over the next 12 months.
We are expanding our service to farmers by introducing layers of pre-harvest support and making significant improvements to technology, such as the implementation of blockchain, more integration with AI, and remote monitoring. We’ll continue to increase our coverage from 55% of Indian districts , to 75% in the coming year.
Our long-term vision is to provide the freedom to make value chain decision-making to 10,000 farmers.
They should be able determine for themselves the best time to sell, who they should sell to, and for what price. This would be a true sign of success.
What’s your strategy to create a profitable customer base?
Transparency Speed of execution, transparency and value propositions – all on top of the high-level of trust.
The nature of the challenges Arya.ag has encountered throughout its journey, and how Arya.ag faced them.
We had a difficult time with capital crunch at first, but it was a good thing because it allowed us to build efficiency from the beginning.
Thanks to our focus on technology We have been able to mitigate significant risks in this industry. Our approach has endured the tests of time.
We have been able to successfully navigate significant market-disrupting reforms and events like demonetisation, GST implementation, waivers of farm loans and the COVID epidemic. We believe that we have the ability to dramatically improve the lives of fellow farmers.
Who has been your most important source of inspiration?
My greatest inspiration has been Sachin Tendulkar. The discipline, commitment and consistency as well as the determination and humility that he has displayed about his work inspires me to pursue a career in the area of agriculture.
If you could offer one tip for anyone who is just beginning their journey What would you recommend?
For those who are just beginning I would recommend that you get a clear idea of the things you’re developing and the reasons behind it.
The eye on your target must be similar to Arjun’s in Mahabharat. You will get distracted, you will be confronted, you are be told that you’ll fail, and you’ll be told to change your approach However, only with an eye on the goal will you be able to achieve what you want to achieve.
We hope you find this inspirational interview with Ms. Anand Chandra, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Arya.ag valuable and inspiring throughout your journey to entrepreneurship and keep you motivated.
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