Bengaluru, Nov. 2 -- Flipkart is betting that closer links with farmers and better demand planning can help it scale one of quick commerce's most operationally challenging categories: fresh produce.

The e-commerce company is deepening partnerships with farmers and farmer producer organizations (FPOs), while investing in sourcing infrastructure and demand planning to reduce wastage on its quick-commerce platform Minutes. It also sees scope to expand premium offerings and introduce private labels, Kunal Gupta, senior vice-president of Flipkart and head of Flipkart Minutes, told Mint.

"Our focus is on being closer to agricultural production centres so that we can source the freshest produce," Gupta said.

Flipkart works with 25 FPOs and mo...