Source : Procurement Leaders

Walmart has said it is planning to source an increasing volume of agricultural products locally in the sub-continent.

According to local reports in the Indian newspaper Economic Times, Bharti Walmart Pvt – which is a 50%-owned joint venture between Walmart and Bharti Enterprises - is looking to work with 25,000 farmers in India by 2015, compared with current levels of only 4,000.

"We are leveraging our association with ASDA Walmart UK and providing export market access to Indian farmers," a Bharti Walmart spokesperson told the newspaper.

He added there are increasing opportunities to export produce from India including musk melon, pomegranate and rice.

He explained that a trial scheme had seen grapes sourced from farmers in Maharashtra for ASDA stores.

"Certainly we would want this to be significantly higher as we expand. By 2015, the plan is to source directly from 25,000 farmers," the Bharti Walmart spokesman told Economic Times.

The report added that Walmart is not only looking tap into produce from more farmers in India, but also to expand the types of produce that will be procured. "Currently we source vegetables from farmers. We are also working on developing exclusive crops such as seedless watermelon," the spokesperson said, adding the firm has imported seeds from Netherlands and provided technical know-how to the farmers.