Electronic Auction System Introduced

Source from:  tobaccojournal.com 18 Jun 2008 06/19/2008

Manual auctions were replaced by an electronic auction system at the Tobacco Board platform reports the website Business Standard. Tobacco Board chairman Suresh Babu said e-auctions would be introduced on all platforms in two phases. In the first phase, e-auctions will be set up on all platforms in Karnataka in the ensuing (2008) auction season and all platforms in Andhra Pradesh in the 2009 season. In e-auctions, buyers inspect tobacco bales and evaluate their quality, physical and chemical characteristics such as tobacco leaf, aroma, moisture, texture, and body before bidding. To facilitate this exercise, the board provides hand-held terminals in wireless networking environment. Auction details are displayed on a large LCD screen for farmers. The project is piloted by Cranes Software International, Bangalore. It includes software for the core auction process, leasing of 30 hand-held terminals and operation and technical support for a month. The e-auctions were inaugurated by social welfare minister Subhas Chandra Bose, who said the state government was considering a proposal to supply free electricity for tobacco cultivation and loans to tobacco farmers and harvesters for paddy and sugarcane crops. Enditem