Small-holder farmers typically sell their horticultural produce (fruits and vegetables but not flowers) on the domestic market, rather exporting them for higher returns. One organization, DrumNet, a cashless microcredit and horticultural marketing program, provides access to agricultural credit, assists small-holder farmers with strategic marketing, in particular packaging and distribution of fruits and vegetables for export, and provides information on marketing opportunities and distribution (handling, packaging, transportation, and logistics). 

To determine the impact of these information services and access to credit on returns, 750 farmers from 36 farmers' self-help groups (SHG) are randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups (500 each) and a control group (250) that receives no treatment. Farmers in SHGs assigned to the first treatment are offered basic access to DrumNet services, in particular information about marketing opportunities, transportation and logistics. Farmers in SHGs assigned to the second treatment group are offered access to basic services as well as short-term individual loans in the form of store credit for agricultural supplies (seeds, fertilizer, herbicide, etc.) just before, and proportional to, the harvest. These loans are low-risk as proceeds from harvest sales are applied directly to repayment (major risks are shocks or defection of sales through another channel).