Clover provides free Agronomy services for greenhouse farmers

Clover has been providing agronomy services for greenhouse farmers in an effort to strengthen their techniques. The leading agritech startup aims to provide them with structural market access.

This service is part of Clover’s business model to improve the per acre yield from the farmer’s landholding, in turn improving farmer income while providing consistent access to high-quality fruit and vegetables to its consumers in Bangalore and Hyderabad. The company recognizes that fact that one of the biggest issues facing the agricultural sector in India, is low yield. India’s farm yield is 30 to 35 per cent lower than that of developed nations. Farmers also face the added burden of poor access to scientific knowledge on high yield yet clean farming techniques, a decrease in soil fertility due to over-fertilization and sustained pesticide use, lack of awareness on changing consumer taste and consumption preferences.

Avinash BR, CEO and co-founder of Clover, said the company through its agronomy services ensures higher yields and productivity for the farmer. “A Clover network farmer has the enviable privilege of being able to sell all his produce to us,” he explained. “Over the last couple of years, we have seen farmers increase their yield anywhere from four times compared to the times without Clover’s agronomy intervention. The added benefit is also lesser wastage due to committed market access.”

The agritech guides farmers on greenhouse farming methods including proper use of ventilation, lighting control, pest management which results in significant yield improvement, reduced cost of cultivation and improvement in the percentage of first grade produce. This extensive and holistic agronomy support has resulted in the improvement of first-grade fruits by more than 25 per cent, reduced input costs like nutrient, and crop medicine.

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Clover Ventures, which was established in 2018, is also working to empower farmers to adopt sustainable farming practices and improving productivity, as well as income. It partners with small farm holders and sells premium quality, greenhouse-grown fresh produce like spinach, coriander, lettuce, basil, cucumbers, beans and cauliflower etc., through B2C channels.