© limakilo
Brilio.net/en - A bunch of youngsters from Telkom University has recently launched a new app-based marketplace to create a fair-trade platform for the shallot farmers in Brebes, Central Java.
Aptly named Limakilo (or Five kilograms), this app serves as an e-commerce mobile application that will connect the shallot farmers directly with the end-consumers - thus eliminating the unfair middleman that often hike the price to the farmers disadvantage.
Shallots are considered as a staple in most of Indonesian kitchen. They are apparent in all Indonesian dishes and used in most daily cooking. The demand for this produce is the third highest in Indonesia, coming close after rice and sugar.
Unfortunately, their prices are fluctuated over time. Long distribution channels and unfair prices given by the middleman or tengkulak, serve as the main problem.
The tengkulak who largely assume monopoly buying position often bought shallots at a low price from the farmers and hike it once it goes to the end customers. Given the situation, many farmers are left hopeless as they need to abide with the price dictated by the tengkulak.
Syamsul Huda is one of the farmer from Brebes, he testified: Just last years. We experienced major loss. We bought the seeds for 20K rupiah but we need to sell the harvest for only 6k-7k. The loss was about 50%
With this app, the farmers could link directly with the first-hand prospective buyers. The app also facilitates price bidding, so farmers can cite their price for a larger quantity for restaurants and other major establishment, thus creating their own market supply.
We try to cut the complicated distribution system. Limakilo is a marketplace that we developed to manifest a fair trade among the farmers. So the farmers will get a higher place and the buyers will get a cheaper price, explained Lisa Wulandari, one of the founders of Limakilo.
By connecting the farmers directly to the potential buyers, the farmers are free to set their own prices, making their own products more competitive towards each other. This will hopefully eliminate the old practice where the middleman set up the price as they wish without any consideration to the farmers or the end buyers.
Other than shallots, various green produces are also slated to be sold through the app.
Limakilo is the winner of the first Code4Nations first hackathon that aims to solve the problems of crops distribution system in Indonesia. The app is currently only serving delivery to Jakarta, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi, dan Bandung.
(brl/tis)
