Agricultural Marketing Based on Web Services

Marketing of agricultural produce is a complex task involving various stack-holders, products and business scenarios. In a developing country like china, this activity is influenced by local, socio-economic and cultural characteristics. While other complex but well-defined business processes are experiencing benefits of services driven e-business; 'marketing of agricultural produce' has remained untouched by this revolution. Unavailability of proper underlying IT infrastructure will continue to inhibit the implementation and penetration of such technological advancements amongst the users. In absence of such capability, the informal transactions provide meager benefits to a fanner who looses a better price in other potential market, or a wholesaler, who might have got the desired quality product at a lower cost directly from the farm. There is a need to develop affordable and reliable solution that links all the actors involved in the system and provide an environment for a competitive business. This research paper demonstrates Web Services based business process management system, developed to aid marketing of agricultural produce. With the help of the Web Services based business process management system, a trader can execute a complete trading business process. This paper also demonstrates a complete business process that is initiated by a farmer with a mobile PDA involving trade of an agricultural produce in the market place.