[Indu Chukhu]
ITANAGAR, 26 Jun: An online mithun (Bos frontalis) trading platform, called ‘Arupet’, has been developed to help farmers in Arunachal Pradesh sell mithuns through a secure, transparent, and wider-reaching marketplace.
The project is led by Dr Marpe Sora, associate professor in the computer science department of Rajiv Gandhi University. The concept is the brainchild of Prof Sora and co-project investigator Jagdeep Rahul.
The project is funded by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhilai, Chattisgarh, under its Innovation and Technology Foundation. The project has been taken up with a startup and innovation grant of Rs 25.3 lakhs.
IIT Bhilai’s Innovation and Technology Foundation (ITF) has provided the initial funding required for the implementation of the Arupet platform, along with technological support and innovation mentoring. It will also guide Arupet in securing additional funding to ensure the project’s successful execution until it becomes self-sustaining, informed Prof Sora.
“The state government has not provided any financial support so far. However, we plan to approach the government to seek funding for scaling the project, ensuring that Arupet can effectively reach remote areas across Arunachal Pradesh,” informed Prof Sora.
“The platform was developed to address challenges faced by mithun farmers in Arunachal, such as scattered populations, lack of fair pricing, and broker exploitation. It enables direct farmer-to-buyer trading through a transparent online system,” he said.
Arbovine Private Limited has developed the Arupet platform, with support from IIT Bhilai’s ITF, which acts as both the funding body and innovation partner. IIT Bhilai is providing innovation mentoring and ensuring the scalability and usability of the platform. Arupet is responsible for field-level implementation, farmer onboarding, and system management. Together, these partners are bridging traditional livestock practices with digital solutions to promote sustainable rural development.
The project began in 2023, and a beta version of the platform was prepared under the domain arupet.com in early 2024. The platform is currently under review and feature testing. A full public launch is expected by the first week of August, once the development is completed and farmer feedback is fully incorporated.
“This digital platform for selling and buying mithunsis an attempt to secure farmer and buyer registration, and to get rid of middlemen or the broker system,” Prof Sora said.
The platform will provide mithun listing with images, and detailed negotiation and bidding options, besides verified user profiles and digital payments.
The trading platform has been launched in Lower Siang and West Siang districts, and will be launched in other districts, as well, informed Prof Sora.
Farmer registrations have started, and the first successful mithun sale has been completed. “Engagement is growing steadily,” said Prof Sora.
So far, more than 200 mithun farmers have been trained to use the system. The project is being supported technically by Arbovine Pvt Ltd, the startup working on the development side.
Only one transaction of mithun through the online trading platform Arupet has been done so far. The transaction took place on 25 April.
Goge Sora, a public leader from West Siang district,said he was looking for a mithun for the Mopin celebration, and learnt that someone from RGU had developed an online mithun trading platform. He said he bought a mithun from the trading platform for Rs 80,000.
“The process was easy, and usually whenever mithun is being bought, the sellers don’t keep it for more than three days, but the owner kept it for about 12 days. Later, on the day of Mopin, I finally purchased the mithun after paying the full amount,” Sora informed.
Sora suggested that the platform should be launched in all the districts, so as to remove middlemen and sell or buy mithuns at fair prices.
“The online platform will automatically provide digital tools for safe and transparent trading,” he said.
By combining local cultural values with technology, this project offers a new model for sustainable livestock trade in the region. The website allows farmers to register, list mithuns with multimedia support, and engage in transparent pricing and digital transactions. Initial awareness and registrations have already begun through field outreach.
On the Arupet website, pictures of mithuns along with their profiles, such as age, gender, and prices are displayed. The price uploaded for a four-year-old female mithun is Rs 87,000; that of a three-year-old female mithun is Rs 95,000; and that of a five-year-old female mithun with a calf is Rs 1,10,000.
Online data according to Statista says that Arunachal Pradesh has the largest mithun population in India with 3,50,154 mithuns. This represents 83.48% of the total mithun population in the country.
