The ledger is the arhtiya's reputation
A commission agent sits between the farmer and the buyer. The farmer trusts you to get a fair rate and pay on time. The buyer trusts you to deliver what was agreed and bill correctly. Both relationships rest on one thing: a ledger that is accurate and easy to explain.
When ledgers are messy, problems show up at the worst time. A farmer comes for final payment after harvest and the balance does not match what he remembers. A buyer disputes a bill from three weeks ago. Hours go into checking old pages instead of running the gaddi.
Keep one ledger per party
Every farmer, buyer and supplier should have their own ledger. Avoid combining family members into one account unless they truly share it, because payments get mixed up. If two farmers have the same name, add the village or father's name so there is no confusion later.
- Full name with village or father's name
- Mobile number for slips and reminders
- Bank details for payments, if they use bank transfer
- Type of party: farmer, buyer, supplier or depositor
Post every entry the same day
During the season, the temptation is to write entries at night or the next morning. That is when mistakes slip in. A lot gets posted to the wrong farmer, or an advance is forgotten. Post sales, advances and payments while the transaction is happening, or at least before the day closes.
Each sale entry should carry the lot number, crop, weight, rate and charges. With these details, any question can be answered by opening one entry.
Track advances carefully
Many arhtiyas give advances to farmers before harvest for seed, fertiliser or family needs. These advances must be recorded with the date, amount and mode of payment. When the farmer's produce is sold, the advance is adjusted against the sale. If advances are kept in a separate book, they are easy to forget at settlement time.
Explain every deduction
Farmers often question deductions more than rates. Commission, labour, weighing, bags and transport should each appear as separate lines, not a single cut. When a farmer can see each deduction, there is far less argument. If your mandi has fixed charges, make sure they are applied the same way to every farmer.
Reconcile with buyers weekly
On the buyer side, check pending amounts every week. List each buyer, what they owe and since when. Call buyers who are past your usual credit days before the amount grows. Payments from buyers fund payments to farmers, so delays on one side become delays on the other.
- Which buyers are past their credit days?
- Which farmers are waiting for final payment?
- Are any payments received but not yet posted?
- Do bank entries match the ledger?
Give parties a statement when they ask
When a farmer or buyer asks for their account, give a clear statement with dates, lots, amounts and payments. It answers most questions immediately and shows that you run a careful business. Over time, this habit is what makes farmers return to the same arhtiya season after season.
Common mistakes
- Posting entries from memory at the end of the day
- Mixing advances and sale payments in one rough book
- Showing a single total deduction instead of separate charges
- Not following up with buyers until the season ends
- Two people writing in the same ledger with different methods
Keep the munim and owner on the same page
In many firms the munim writes the ledgers and the owner handles farmers and buyers face to face. Problems start when promises made at the gaddi never reach the books, such as a special rate or a delayed payment date. Agree that every such promise is noted against the party the same day, so the ledger always tells the full story.
How Krishivaan helps
Krishivaan keeps a separate ledger for every farmer and party, with sales, payments and balances posted by date. Commission and charges are calculated on each bill and shown as separate lines, so farmers can see every deduction.
The payments and dues view lists buyers who owe you and farmers waiting for payment, and slips can be sent on WhatsApp after each sale. To see it with your own charges, message the D&D Technology team at +91 95116 38160.
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