Learning from Our Users
Earlier this month, Agromovil Field Operations Manager, Grace Tellez, interviewed one of the newest Agromovil users, John Velandia, a shopkeeper in Santander, Colombia. John recently used Agromovil to purchase 100 kilos of soursop, a popular tropical fruit. Grace and John discussed how Agromovil made it easy to search for the product he wanted, negotiate price, and arrange conditions for purchase with a farmer, Francy Carvajal. To watch the interview, click here.
John explained how he used Agromovil to overcome some logistical obstacles, “The seller was relatively close to me, but I didn’t know them. I was able to find them -- to see them online -- and arrange the transaction through Agromovil.”
On Agromovil, John was able to review the product characteristics (such as quantity, date of availability), and contacted his seller through the app to get additional details. The seller even sent John photos of the soursop after their phone conversation.
App technology is new to many farmers, and John mentioned that he was initially nervous about the purchase (roughly $70), as he was dealing with a producer he had never met before.
“In the past,” said John, “we would have wanted to pay with cash on delivery, but the farmer had to harvest and prepare the soursop, so she wanted a guarantee that the order was serious.” Through Agromovil, John could make a secure payment through Mercado Pago, Agromovil’s integrated payments platform. “It was the best option to protect my money and there was a record of the purchase,” John noted.
In the end, the transaction was a complete success. The soursop arrived as expected, in great condition. Buyer and seller came together, using Agromovil technology, to get the product to market.
“I liked Agromovil and the Agromovil experience,” said John. The platform is usable and easy to understand. John continued, “I liked being in direct contact with the farmer through Agromovil. I didn’t have to deal with an intermediary.” Going direct, he could get the product he wanted, when he wanted it, and at a good price.
Like so many buyers and farmers we’ve worked and spoken with, John found visibility and improved market access when he used Agromovil. If you are looking for a more efficient, profitable, and financially secure way to buy or sell agricultural goods, download our app here, or reach out to learn more.