Supplyco's contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals: research results

A study entitled "Supplyco and the Sustainable Development Goals: An Institutional Impact Assessment" has been published. It is based on a survey of 1,380 households in Thiruvananthapuram, 317 farmers in Palakkad, as well as interviews with 29 suppliers and representatives of small and medium-sized businesses. The author's focus was on the corporation's contribution to the eradication of poverty, ensuring zero hunger, the development of decent work and economic growth, as well as the reduction of inequality.

The organization's regulated prices allow more than 90% of surveyed households to save between 400 and 700 ₹ monthly. The cost of basic goods here is lower than market indicators by 20–60%. The universal retail network makes it possible to purchase subsidized goods regardless of citizens' welfare status, which increases family resilience during periods of inflation. A set of 13 essential products ensures year-round access to food: 94% of respondents reported reliable access to three meals a day, and 23% noted an improvement in the consumption of nutritious food, in particular legumes.

The corporation's procurement activities affect the welfare of agricultural producers. The paddy procurement system in Kerala through Supplyco provides farmers with liquidity through a credit mechanism based on digital receipts and helps pay off debts at minimum support prices. Market interventions curb price growth and support fair access to goods in rural, tribal, coastal, and low-income areas.

Administrative data showed that between 2019–20 and 2022–23, the volumes of subsidized goods distribution almost doubled. The uniqueness of the model lies in the combination of retail trade, social protection measures, agricultural procurement, and price regulation into a single complex, the scale of which surpasses similar practices in other countries.