Description:
"Our platform offerings revolve around three core service areas: 1) the provision of improved agronomy
practices/skills, 2) access to farm loans, and 3) affordable micro-irrigation systems. This quarter, 15,525 total
new farm customers used one or more of these services.
+Farm Advisory Services: This quarter, a total of 11,416 farmers used one of our agronomy services, of
which 7,534 were new customers, meeting 99 percent of our total customer target for the quarter. We are
currently targeting an ambitious goal of a total of 51,000 new adopters by the end of the year. We offer the
following advisory services: 1) rice seed cleaning, 2) precision planting (for rice seed) 3) nutrient (e.g. fertilizer)
management, 4) soil health management, and 5) crop protection services (to control pests & disease).
We currently employ 106 field agronomists who drive outreach and growth. Our field agronomists are launching our new Soil Health Diagnostic Service, offered at a price of USD4 per
acre. To date, we’ve sold 477 tests, 76% lower than our target. Our agronomy team has never launched this kind
of fee-for-service before, and is learning it takes up more field staff time than originally estimated.
+Micro-irrigation: This quarter is typically a slow time for irrigation product sales, as the period marks
the end of the monsoon season in Myanmar. 1,655 new farmers purchased one of our micro-irrigation
products, representing 16 percent growth year-on-year, and 91 percent of the quarter’s target. We are
targeting 10 percent annual growth this year or 12,743 farm customers.
This year, our irrigation product offerings include: micro-sprinkler systems, mister systems, drip systems, lay
flat hose and a treadle pump. We sold a total of 3,062 units of irrigation products, representing an 8 percent
y/y decrease, and earned sales revenue of USD 78,000 for the quarter. After 15 years of selling various models
of our original foot-operated pump, we are now selling only one treadle pump model this season. In recent
years, the market has shifted with the influx of affordable and portable motorized pumps from China replacing
the more labor-intensive treadle pumps. Thus, our products today focus on advancing irrigation efficiency in
water use. This quarter, we launched our newest product – a “Starter” Mister that customers can install for USD
10 for 1/10 acre . We are seeing strong demand largely due to the affordable price point.
We have a very capable, new General Manager leading the irrigation business, Seng Nu Pan. We are reducing
our in-house manufacturing work and shifting to sourcing components from new, higher quality, local suppliers
as well as importing more parts from Thailand and China. Assembly is still done in Myanmar..."
Source/publisher:
Proximity Designs
Date of Publication:
2018-09-30
Date of entry:
2019-08-04
Grouping:
- Individual Documents
Category:
Countries:
Myanmar
Language:
English
Local URL:
Format:
pdf
Size:
536.19 KB
Text quality:
- Good