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Context is everything.
Detailed stories on technology startups, business and economic current affairs.
Detailed stories on technology startups, business and economic current affairs.
Farmers and farm equipment dealers in Maharashtra say Netafim India broke their trust, cheated them and mis-sold products in pursuit of unrealistic targets
Editor's note: Not too long ago, Kishor Devde used to be an optimist, bordering on the unrealistic sometimes. The 29-year-old man from Devdi Hadgaon village in Maharashtra’s Jalna district wanted to become a farmer. Despite knowing fully well about the widespread agrarian crisis in a country that was once known for its agriculture—if at all, this motivated him even more. “I wanted to implement new technologies and inspire other people, especially young people like me, to take up agriculture,” says Devde, who graduated from the College of Agriculture, Kolhapur, in 2013. Dashrath Devde, his father, who works as a registrar at Lal Bahadur Shastri Sr. College in the nearby town of Partur, has always been more of a realist. Despite having a decent amount of farmland, he never took to farming as a full-time job. He advised his son to do the same. But Kishor was young, adamant and optimistic. “My father wanted me to get a job. Any job. So, after graduation, I tried my luck at a 9-to-5 job. But my heart was in farming,” he says. He returned home …
Farmers and farm equipment dealers in Maharashtra say Netafim India broke their trust, cheated them and mis-sold products in pursuit of unrealistic targets
Editor's note: Not too long ago, Kishor Devde used to be an optimist, bordering on the unrealistic sometimes. The 29-year-old man from Devdi Hadgaon village in Maharashtra’s Jalna district wanted to become a farmer. Despite knowing fully well about the widespread agrarian crisis in a country that was once known for its agriculture—if at all, this motivated him even more. “I wanted to implement new technologies and inspire other people, especially young people like me, to take up agriculture,” says Devde, who graduated from the College of Agriculture, Kolhapur, in 2013. Dashrath Devde, his father, who works as a registrar at Lal Bahadur Shastri Sr. College in the nearby town of Partur, has always been more of a realist. Despite having a decent amount of farmland, he never took to farming as a full-time job. He advised his son to do the same. But Kishor was young, adamant and optimistic. “My father wanted me to get a job. Any job. So, after graduation, I tried my luck at a 9-to-5 job. But my heart was in farming,” he says. He returned home …
In one of its worst years yet, India’s largest winemaker is facing headwinds on all fronts and has little by way of a plan.
Looked at over the last decade, it will be fair to say that GMV-chasing venture firms ended up doing more harm than good to Indian agriculture.
The online cattle trading startup has spent time and VC money solving what its founders believe is a unique problem. Its pursuit increasingly seems like a case of misdirected perseverance.
In one of its worst years yet, India’s largest winemaker is facing headwinds on all fronts and has little by way of a plan.
Looked at over the last decade, it will be fair to say that GMV-chasing venture firms ended up doing more harm than good to Indian agriculture.
The online cattle trading startup has spent time and VC money solving what its founders believe is a unique problem. Its pursuit increasingly seems like a case of misdirected perseverance.
