bigbasket, a Tata Group enterprise, has highlighted the scale and impact of its farmer sourcing ecosystem, which today connects more than 50,000 farmers across 16 states through a nationwide network of over 120 farm-gate collection centres. The initiative underlines the company’s focus on building a transparent, efficient, and farmer-centric fresh produce supply chain.

bigbasket began direct farmer engagement in 2015 with its first collection centre at Malur near Bengaluru. Over the past decade, this model has expanded pan-India, enabling farmers to access organised markets directly from their villages while reducing reliance on traditional intermediaries.

Through the network, farmers supply fruits and vegetables directly to bigbasket and receive payments within 48 hours of Goods Receipt Note (GRN), credited directly to their bank accounts. This system has brought greater predictability, transparency, and income security to farming households.

Supporting this ecosystem is an on-ground team of over 400 agricultural graduates, including an agronomist at every collection centre. These teams work closely with farmers using bigbasket’s in-house Farmus app, which enables farm geotagging, crop estimation, and harvest forecasting, while also guiding farmers on cultivating high-demand, high-return crops aligned with market needs.

In parallel, bigbasket has developed a dedicated organic sourcing network through 12 exclusive organic collection centres, supporting around 6,300 organic farmers. The company facilitates organic certification at its own cost and deploys trained rural youth, known as Jaivikmitras, to provide guidance on organic farming practices and crop planning.

Commenting on the initiative, Seshu Kumar Tirumala, Chief Buying & Merchandising Officer at bigbasket, said the company’s sourcing model is built on long-term trust, consistent engagement, and shared value creation with farmers—an approach that has shaped the scale and sustainability of its fresh produce ecosystem over the last decade