How It Works

SMS Service Information Resources

Here you will find all the information in order to use our SMS service.

The SMS service is used for collecting and disseminating price information for fruit and vegetables (we are currently expanding it to other products), sold by whole sale traders in 16 markets from around Cambodia.

The SMS service is currently focused on fruit and vegetables. The high perishability of these commodities demands a much more dynamic approach to data collection and dissemination. To achieve this, whole sale traders in fruit and vegetables submit prices directly into the database, by sending the information in text messages. One can get the price information out of the system by sending a text message with a price request and the system will reply with the price for that product. The submission of prices can only be done by registered traders, however everyone can use the system to receive price information.

Prices collected by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries (MAFF) data collectors are also uploaded in the system. The prices from the government data collectors are average prices in the market and collected three times a week. Where as prices from the traders are received on a daily basis, normally during the early trading hours of the day.

How to submit the selling price for a product

Traders who have registered with our SMS service, can submit the selling price for a commodity, this can only be done from the phone number with which they have registered. Traders are registered by market and therefore do not need to indicate the market code when submitting a price.

In order to submit your selling price for a particular product, do the following:

(As an example we will use the commodity “Chinese Kale” [code:200] which we want to sell for Riel 1000)

1. Type the message, using “S” for sale price, and the product code followed by the price at which you sell the commodity: S 200 1000
2. Send the message to the SMS service phone number: 017253242
3. Receive the reply: 0000 price is updated: [200] R1000

Message Interpretation:

0000 price is updated: [200] R12000 = You successfully updated the price, the new price is 1000 Riel

How to collect price information from the system

There are two steps in getting the price information from the system, however we see that experienced users often skip the first step:

Step 1: Find the averages prices in the market

In order to find the price at which traders are selling a particular product at a specific market, do the following:

1. Find the product code and the market code for which you want to know the price information. The codes are listed at the end of this article.For example we will use commodity “Chinese Kale” [code:200] and market “Deumkor” [code:772]
2. Type the message, using the product code followed by the market code: 200 772
3. Send the message to the SMS service phone number: 5100
4. Receive the reply:
   

   [200] –	772: R1900	(T12-3/P0)	[Date:26.01]
   741: R1500	(T8-6/P0)	[Date:26.01]

   The reply message will reply with the price in the Deumkor Market [772] but also in the neighbouring Takhmao market [741]

Message Interpretation:

(If you use the system you will find that you do not only get the price in one neighbouring market but in all the neighbouring markets!)

Step 2: Find the prices from traders of a product in a market

In order to find he prices of the traders of a particular product at a specific market, do the following: (As an example we will use the commodity “Chinese Kale” [code:200] and the market“Deumkor” [code:772])

1. Type the message, using “T” for trader, and the product code followed by the market code: T 200 772
2. Send the message to the SMS service phone number: 5100
3. Receive the reply:
   

   017738202:	Chan:	R1800	[Date:12.02]
   017566253:	Charin:	R1700	[Date:12.02]

Message Interpretation

(If you use the system you will find that you get the prices of all the traders who receive a price in the last two days. After two days prices are considered out of date and will not be shown.)

Response Messages:

Below you will find some of the response messages that the SMS system may send you.