Reuters recently announced a partnership with Maharashtra’s Postal Circle, to distribute, sell and support Reuters Market Light (‘RML’). Reuters Market Light is a unique mobile information service which keeps Indian farmers updated with local and customised commodity pricing information, news and weather updates.

Local farmers in Maharashtra will now be able to access Reuters Market Light directly from their nearest post office. This new distribution platform will significantly expand the presence of the service across the region, and will allow farmers to easily and conveniently learn about RML, view demonstrations and subscribe to the services. Reuters will also provide RML service training to Maharashtra Postal Circle officials. 

RML has been designed to support India’s 250-million-strong agricultural community and has over 10,500 subscribers since its launch in October 2007, claimed the release from Reuters. RML helps farmers to enhance their crop yields and improve their productivity over a very wide range of produce including onions, cotton, soybean, pulses, pomegranates and oranges.

Amit Mehra, RML Managing Director said, “The farming community in India is one of the largest in the world. The rural and often remote nature of the community makes it incredibly difficult for farmers, especially those with small holdings, to get even the most basic information.”

“The aim is to facilitate greater transparency in the Indian agricultural markets allowing individual farmers to increase their productivity and maximise their revenue, and this new distribution channel helps to meet those goals. Reuters aims to roll the service out in post offices across all of India in 2008,” Mehra added.

RML, a mobile phone-based service, was launched by the Honorable Union Minister of Agriculture, Govt of India, Sharad Pawar in Maharashtra State in Western India on 01 October 2007. RML helps farmers achieve better yields and secure better prices by allowing them to receive accurate weather forecasts and local price information direct to their mobile phones, in their own language. The service is available for Rs.60 per month.