A joint venture between multi-faceted Indian company Mahindra and Belgian produce powerhouse Univeg has taken a step into the world of e-commerce.

The two companies have been working together in the Indian produce sector since 2014, but now the Univeg Mahindra partnership is going online with an investment in the newly formed Pune-based platform MeraKisan.

The e-commerce venture sells fruits, vegetables, nuts, spices and condiments sourced directly from local Indian growers, particularly smallholder farmers.

MeraKisan majority shareholder Prashanth Patil will be CEO of the newly formed company.

In a release, Patil said the digital platform would ensure the delivery of high quality produce to consumers on their doorsteps, becoming a trendsetter for creating value for farmers, the story reported.

"It is a matter of pride for me to be associated with a farmer-centric organisation like Mahindra Agri Solutions Ltd," Patil said.

"This coming together is significant as we share a common goal of impacting the lives of the Indian farmer."

Mahindra Agri Solutions managing director Ashok Sharma was upbeat about the new deal.

"Given our Rise philosophy of Driving Positive Change, we at Mahindra Agri are always working towards impacting the lives of farmers," Sharma said in the release.

"Our investment in MeraKisan will enable the farmers and the consumers to connect digitally and create a win-win.

"We are strongly committed towards our vision of Sustainability and delivering FarmTech Properity, and our investment in this venture is yet another proof of our commitment. We believe that the MeraKisan team is fully aligned with our vision."

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