APMC's aam aadmi take Alphonso online

Cutting out the facilitator, a group of young traders from Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) in Vashi have taken the Alphonso mango online to bring it to your doorstep.

Sourcing them from orchards in Ratnagiri and Devgad, as they do for the offline market place, they promise carbide-free and naturally ripened juicy fruit – which comes with a take-back guarantee.

Kunal Pansare, a third generation fruit trader at the Navi Mumbai wholesale market, conceived the idea along with friends. "Often the same product is sold at different prices online," he said. "This happens because there are multiple sellers on the same platform, which leaves buyers confused. Bookmymango.com will weed out such problems." With no middleman, prices are expected to be on par with offline markets.

"We have our own logistics such as a packaging unit, vehicles, delivery boy which ensures timely delivery within Mumbai," Pansare adds. There is no delivery charge for orders within Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai, but is applicable on orders outside the city and country. Crucially, payment is expected after the customer checks the prized product and they also guarantee returns.

The traders have also tied up with exporters sending mangoes to other countries such as the US and will follow the FDA standards of the respective nation.

Despite there being no delivery charge, Pansare said that the price of mangoes will be competitive to that found in the market. "Not only will the mangoes be carbide free, a 'buy more, pay less' option is also available," he said. He added that prices will go down as supply increases, without waiting for the inventory to deplete.