Timeline: (Excerpts From Articles) Abbreviations Used: KB Knowledge Base (for easy future access) 2001 In 1996, Rallis

s launched Contaf a product developed by its R&D department to combat sheath blight on paddy. It was a technologically advanced and good product which was initially marketed through dealers, agricultural fairs and by salespersons travelling from village to village in jeeps. Rallis wanted to be associated with the farmers lives from sowing to harvest. In short, set up a one-to-one contact with the farmer and focus on selling a basket of Rallis products. The aim was to establish Rallis as 'brand of first recall' in the minds of the farmers. Tea, coffee, mango, groundnut etc, which are niche crops, require less amounts of pesticides and give high returns to farmers. (KB)