Want To Know Where Your Banana Came From? Just Scan QR Code

The humble banana is all set to go hi-tech as Desai Fruit Ventures has started deploying the QR code solution to trace the fruit's journey from farm to the consumer's basket.

Based in Gujarat, Happy Banana, a fruit brand of Desai Fruits Venture Pvt Ltd (DFV) will allow customers to know the details such as the location of the farm where the fruit was grown, the ripening chamber, and the packaging details before it reaches the retail shelves could be seen by the consumers.

"By simply scanning the QR Code on the banana, a consumer can now get to know where it was grown, what was the name of the farmer, the ripening techniques deployed before it reached the retail shelves," Marco Klinge, Chief Executive Officer of Desai Fruit Ventures told Deccan Herald.

Klinge further said that the code solution could help the consumer differentiate the premium fruit from other suppliers and assure them of the quality of the product. The Farm Trace stickers on the fruit do not require any specialised app to be downloaded and can be scanned using any scanning app using a smartphone camera.

As more consumers are now keen on knowing the quality and purity of the fruits and vegetables they consume, this will allow them to know the required details. He said that using by using 'Farm Trace' consumers can gain access to the entire cultivation journey. As per his plans for expansion, QR code solution would soon be extended to other products such as pineapple and rice.

The Farm Trace solution involves reaching out to farmers and suppliers of fruits while encouraging them to use management information systems to map the farm produce. The company also helps small farmers and farmer producer organisations adapt to newer technologies to provide traceability features for their produce.

Till now, 3,000 farmers have marked their presence on the Farm Trace map and there are plans to take the number up to 10,000 by next year.