Karnataka Horticultural Producers’ Co-operative Marketing and Processing Society Ltd or HOPCOMS as they are popularly known, might soon sell fruits and vegetables online as they plan to go the e-commerce way by April 2015. Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (Keonics), who is making the software for HOPCOMS, says that the software is being finalised and will be functional in two months, reports ET. Through the e-commerce website, Hopcoms is looking to hire people as well as boost sales for farmers, the report added, due to an initial investment of Rs 1 crore. Where and when? Set up in 1965, HOPCOMS were meant to create a proper marketplace for farmers as well as consumers. Among the future programmes listed on the website are opening of 100 new modern retail outlets (timeline not mentioned), complete computerization and installation of digital scales in the outlets and godowns under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana scheme and the construction of high tech walk-in supermarkets. HOPCOMS operate in rural and urban Bangalore, Kolar, Ramnagar and Chikkaballapura Districts in Karnataka. The society claims that they have 12,680 members and a paid-up share capital of Rs 265.90 lakhs as of March 2014. Competition - FreshWorld raised an undisclosed amount of investment from Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan late last month. - PepperTap raised an undisclosed amount in seed funding from Sequoia Capital late last month. - Godrej Group’s premium food products retailer Nature’s Basket acquired Mumbai-based online grocery store Ekstop.com, and is currently working on rebranding and integrating Ekstop.com as its online…
