Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing, browsing, registering for, or transacting on Raithu Vikas ("Platform"), operated by Raithu Vikas Technologies Private Limited, you agree to be legally bound by these Terms of Service, along with our Privacy Policy and applicable Community Guidelines.

If you are registering on behalf of a registered Farmer Producer Organization (FPO), cooperative, private limited company, or proprietary firm, you represent that you possess the legal authority to bind that entity to these terms.

2. User Registration & Eligibility

To preserve transaction integrity across the agricultural supply chain, users must fulfill role-specific requirements:

• Farmers: Must be at least 18 years old and verify their identity via Aadhaar OTP and state land record (Patta/Passbook) linkages.
• Industrial Buyers & Processors: Must furnish valid GSTIN, PAN, and corporate address proof for credit & contract approvals.
• Input Suppliers & Dealers: Must hold valid state agriculture department fertilizer/pesticide distribution licenses.
• Transporters & Fleet Operators: Must submit commercial vehicle registration (RC), valid national permits, and commercial driver licenses.

3. Marketplace Trading & Bidding Rules

All commodity listings posted on the Crop Marketplace must accurately reflect crop variety, moisture percentage, harvest date, and available tonnage.

• Binding Bids: A buyer's bid accepted by the seller constitutes a legally binding purchase contract.
• No Retraction: Bids cannot be unilaterally canceled after farmer acceptance without incurring penalty deductions.
• Fair Price Guardrails: The platform may flag or restrict listings placed significantly below statutory Minimum Support Price (MSP) benchmarks to prevent distressed predatory buying.

4. Contract Farming & Quality Assays

Forward contract farming agreements signed through the platform are governed by the Model Contract Farming Act and state rules:

• Pre-Agreed Pricing: Buyers agree to guaranteed base purchase prices with upside market linkage sharing.
• Third-Party Quality Testing: In the event of quality disputes, certified lab assay results at designated APMC/NABL labs shall be final.
• Force Majeure: Natural catastrophic weather events (droughts, floods) validated by state crop-loss surveys shall trigger crop insurance claim settlements rather than farmer breach penalties.

5. Escrow Payments & Settlements

To eliminate non-payment risks for farming families, all transactions utilize RBI-compliant escrow nodal accounts:

6. Logistics & Cold Storage Rules

Users booking freight trucks, drone spraying, or warehouse storage must comply with safety standards:

• Transit Insurance: All registered freight dispatches include basic transit insurance covering fire and accident perils.
• Warehouse Receipts: Digital warehouse receipts issued through the platform can be pledged for collateralized agricultural loans.
• Operator Certification: All drone pilots must hold valid DGCA remote pilot certificates.

7. Dispute Resolution & Arbitration

Any dispute, controversy, or claim arising out of marketplace transactions shall be referred first to the Raithu Vikas Grievance & Conciliation Board. If unresolved within 15 business days, disputes shall be adjudicated under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 in Hyderabad, Telangana.

8. Limitation of Liability & Jurisdiction

These Terms of Service are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of India. The courts at Hyderabad, Telangana shall have exclusive jurisdiction over all legal proceedings.

9. AI Crop Planner & Crop Loss Disclaimer

The Raithu AI Crop Planner and agronomic tools automatically integrate regional soil fertility metrics, historical monsoon precipitation records, and verified Mandi spot price trends to generate crop choices, profit potential scores, and expected revenue returns.