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Andhra Pradesh

WhatsApp Business API for Srikakulam's khadi shops, cashew traders and lodges

Srikakulam sells Ponduru's hand-spun khadi and the district's cashew to buyers far beyond north Andhra, and its Sun temple sits a kilometre from the town. Most of its WhatsApp starts with the customer.

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State
Andhra Pradesh
Coastline
193 km[1]
District ODOP
Ponduru cotton sarees (2023), cashew kernels (2024)[1]
Arasavalli
Sun temple about 1 km east of the town[3]
Templates
Telugu, English, Hindi
Billing
₹ with GST to your Andhra Pradesh GSTIN

For Srikakulam's Ponduru khadi societies and saree shops, its cashew-kernel traders, and the lodges and tour operators who serve Arasavalli, Srikurmam and Salihundam: how a customer's first WhatsApp message reaches the right person at the counter, which templates to write in Telugu, and what each message costs.

See it work

The khadi buyer's first message, followed up the stack

The conversation on the phone above starts with a customer, not the shop. Follow her question up through the four layers it crosses before someone at the counter answers it.

A shop that only ever answers never needs a template. The rules start when the shop writes first: the dispatch note with the courier's tracking number is a utility template, and it goes because she said yes to updates during the chat.

The 24-hour service window explains when free replies end. A message the next week about new stock would be a marketing template that needs her opt-in.

An inbound message to a Srikakulam saree shop

4 / 4

PayloadA customer's question about Ponduru khadi (inbound message)

Enters at the bottom, travels up through 4 layers

A customer's message opens Meta's 24-hour customer service window. Inside it the shop replies freely, each reply billed at the service rate; the dispatch note she is promised later is an approved utility template.

Hop 4 of 4: the payload is in layer 1, The shop counter. The question lands in the shared inbox. Whoever is on duty sends photos of the sarees in stock and their prices, with no template needed.

Two products that are sold by conversation

Ponduru khadi and Srikakulam cashew have little in common except the way they are bought. Nobody orders hand-spun cotton or a grade of kernel from a catalogue page; they ask to see it, ask what it costs, ask when it can reach them. That is a WhatsApp conversation, and it is the customer who starts it.

So the first thing a Srikakulam business needs from the API is not broadcasting but answering: one number that several people can work, a record of who agreed to hear from the shop again, and two or three templates for the moments the shop has to write first, a dispatch, a balance due, a booking.

Srikakulam district, from its own pages

From the Srikakulam district website and IBEF's Andhra Pradesh profile.

Srikakulam is the extreme north-eastern district of Andhra Pradesh: 5,837 sq km, 3 revenue divisions, 30 mandals, 1,465 revenue villages and 193 km of coastline.[1]

The Vamsadhara enters the district at Bhamini mandal and reaches the Bay of Bengal near Kalingapatnam; the Nagavali is among its other rivers.[1]

Ponduru, about 23 km from Srikakulam, makes hand-spun khadi from locally grown Punasa cotton; it became famous after Mahatma Gandhi praised it in Young India.[2]

Cluster programmes at Ponduru 1, Ponduru 2 and Tholapi cover 574 weavers, and an APCO outlet in the District Collectorate complex in Srikakulam sells Ponduru varieties.[2]

The district names Palasa cashew nuts as its produce, and cashew kernels as its One District One Product for 2024.[4],[1]

Srikurmam, on the Vamsadhara, is described as the country's only temple to Vishnu in his Kurma avatar; Salihundam's Buddhist site, discovered in 1919, is 18 km from the town.[3]

IBEF credits Andhra Pradesh with 41% of India's fish production in 2022-23 and puts the state's GSDP at Rs 19,750.7 billion in FY27.[5]

Who in Srikakulam writes to whom

Four kinds of business, from the khadi looms to the Sun temple road.

Khadi societies and saree shops

Ponduru's societies and master weavers sell through the APCO outlet, district exhibitions and their own counters, to buyers who ask for photos first.[2]

  • Photo and price replies
  • Dispatch notes with tracking numbers
  • Exhibition dates to buyers who opted in

Cashew-kernel traders

Kernels from the district's processors go to wholesalers and sweet makers who want grades, rates and dispatch dates.[4],[1]

  • Grade and rate replies
  • Order confirmations
  • Payment reminders to wholesale buyers

Lodges near Arasavalli and Srikurmam

Visitors come to the Sun temple a kilometre from town and to Srikurmam and Srimukhalingam on the Vamsadhara, and they book rooms and cars ahead.[3]

  • Room confirmations
  • Car and pickup details
  • Replies about darshan timings

Tour operators for Salihundam

The Buddhist site's stupas and relic caskets draw visitors, some of them from abroad, who need itineraries before they arrive.[3]

  • Itinerary templates for booked groups
  • Guide and vehicle details
  • Answers in the reply window

Prices in ₹, with USD and EUR

What a Srikakulam shop, trader or lodge pays

Plans from ₹999 a month, plus each delivered message at the India rate: ₹0.145 for each reply to a customer who wrote first, ₹0.19 for a dispatch note or booking confirmation, ₹0.94 for an exhibition invitation and ₹0.14 for a login code.

Snapshot rates · as of 20 Oct 2026, 00:02 UTC

Lite

₹999 / month≈ $10.51 USD

₹833 / month, billed yearly≈ $8.76 USD

Growth

₹2,999 / month≈ $31.55 USD

₹2,499 / month, billed yearly≈ $26.29 USD

Enterprise

Custom volume pricing, custom SLA and dedicated infrastructure.

Per message to Srikakulam · India

InfiQ per-message rates for Srikakulam in rupees and USD
Category₹ INRUSD
Marketing₹0.9435$0.0099
Utility₹0.1941$0.0020
Authentication₹0.1402$0.0015
Service₹0.1450$0.0015
Per-message rates for all 47 markets, in ₹ and USD
Per-message rates by market, effective 1 October 2026
MarketMarketingUtilityAuthenticationService
Argentina$0.0572₹5.4352$0.0241₹2.2874$0.0241₹2.2874$0.0241₹2.2874
Bangladesh$0.0678₹6.4397$0.0034₹0.3254$0.0034₹0.3254$0.0034₹0.3254
Brazil$0.0578₹5.4970$0.0063₹0.5981$0.0063₹0.5981$0.0063₹0.5981
Chile$0.0822₹7.8162$0.0185₹1.7585$0.0185₹1.7585$0.0185₹1.7585
Colombia$0.0116₹1.0993$0.0007₹0.0706$0.0007₹0.0706$0.0007₹0.0706
Egypt$0.0596₹5.6629$0.0033₹0.3167$0.0033₹0.3167$0.0033₹0.3167
France$0.0795₹7.5588$0.0278₹2.6393$0.0278₹2.6393$0.0278₹2.6393
Germany$0.126₹12.0088$0.0509₹4.8386$0.0509₹4.8386$0.0509₹4.8386
Hong Kong$0.0678₹6.4397$0.0241₹2.2867$0.0241₹2.2867$0.0241₹2.2867
Hungary$0.0795₹7.5596$0.0323₹3.0700$0.0323₹3.0700$0.0323₹3.0700
India$0.0099₹0.9435$0.0020₹0.1941$0.0015₹0.1402$0.0015₹0.1450
Indonesia$0.0380₹3.6133$0.0231₹2.1979$0.0231₹2.1979$0.0231₹2.1979
Iraq$0.0316₹2.9992$0.0073₹0.6943$0.0073₹0.6943$0.0073₹0.6943
Israel$0.0327₹3.1045$0.0049₹0.4662$0.0049₹0.4662$0.0049₹0.4662
Italy$0.0735₹6.9847$0.0277₹2.6369$0.0277₹2.6369$0.0277₹2.6369
Kazakhstan$0.0559₹5.3098$0.0166₹1.5824$0.0166₹1.5824$0.0166₹1.5824
Kuwait$0.0733₹6.9671$0.0407₹3.8671$0.0407₹3.8671$0.0407₹3.8671
Malaysia$0.0796₹7.5644$0.0130₹1.2314$0.0130₹1.2314$0.0130₹1.2314
Mexico$0.0367₹3.4877$0.0079₹0.7471$0.0079₹0.7471$0.0079₹0.7471
Morocco$0.0383₹3.6425$0.0213₹2.0218$0.0213₹2.0218$0.0213₹2.0218
Netherlands$0.148₹14.0494$0.0463₹4.3987$0.0463₹4.3987$0.0463₹4.3987
Nepal$0.0678₹6.4397$0.0031₹0.2990$0.0031₹0.2990$0.0031₹0.2990
Nigeria$0.0478₹4.5421$0.0062₹0.5898$0.0062₹0.5898$0.0062₹0.5898
Oman$0.0316₹2.9992$0.0228₹2.1709$0.0228₹2.1709$0.0228₹2.1709
Pakistan$0.0438₹4.1620$0.0139₹1.3200$0.0139₹1.3200$0.0139₹1.3200
Peru$0.0651₹6.1843$0.0278₹2.6392$0.0278₹2.6392$0.0278₹2.6392
Poland$0.0338₹3.2105$0.0113₹1.0702$0.0113₹1.0702$0.0113₹1.0702
Qatar$0.0316₹2.9992$0.0111₹1.0547$0.0111₹1.0547$0.0111₹1.0547
Romania$0.0795₹7.5596$0.0268₹2.5436$0.0268₹2.5436$0.0268₹2.5436
Russia$0.0742₹7.0520$0.0370₹3.5173$0.0370₹3.5173$0.0370₹3.5173
Saudi Arabia$0.0532₹5.0537$0.0099₹0.9401$0.0099₹0.9401$0.0099₹0.9401
Singapore$0.0678₹6.4397$0.0148₹1.4072$0.0148₹1.4072$0.0148₹1.4072
South Africa$0.0351₹3.3385$0.0088₹0.8369$0.0088₹0.8369$0.0088₹0.8369
Spain$0.0654₹6.2161$0.0185₹1.7578$0.0185₹1.7578$0.0185₹1.7578
Sri Lanka$0.0678₹6.4397$0.0019₹0.1759$0.0019₹0.1759$0.0019₹0.1759
Turkey$0.0101₹0.9587$0.0008₹0.0792$0.0008₹0.0792$0.0008₹0.0792
Ukraine$0.0795₹7.5596$0.0275₹2.6138$0.0275₹2.6138$0.0275₹2.6138
United Arab Emirates$0.0532₹5.0537$0.0145₹1.3811$0.0145₹1.3811$0.0145₹1.3811
United Kingdom$0.0587₹5.5795$0.0204₹1.9346$0.0204₹1.9346$0.0204₹1.9346
North America$0.0231₹2.1976$0.0031₹0.2989$0.0031₹0.2989$0.0031₹0.2989
Rest of Africa$0.0208₹1.9796$0.0037₹0.3516$0.0037₹0.3516$0.0037₹0.3516
Rest of Asia Pacific$0.0779₹7.4057$0.0105₹0.9938$0.0105₹0.9938$0.0105₹0.9938
Rest of Central & Eastern Europe$0.0795₹7.5596$0.0196₹1.8595$0.0196₹1.8595$0.0196₹1.8595
Rest of Latin America$0.0684₹6.5048$0.0105₹0.9934$0.0105₹0.9934$0.0105₹0.9934
Rest of Middle East$0.0363₹3.4490$0.0084₹0.7998$0.0084₹0.7998$0.0084₹0.7998
Rest of Western Europe$0.0548₹5.2054$0.0158₹1.5019$0.0158₹1.5019$0.0158₹1.5019
Other$0.0559₹5.3098$0.0071₹0.6769$0.0071₹0.6769$0.0071₹0.6769
Currency converter

$10.51 USD

Indicative conversion at reference rates (ExchangeRate-API snapshot). InfiQ sets and invoices prices in Indian rupees, excluding GST; your bank’s rate on the day you pay will differ. Rates By Exchange Rate API.

Plan prices are monthly, in rupees, excluding GST; yearly billing is two months free. Messages are charged per delivered message on top of the plan, at the rate for the recipient’s country. Full details: InfiQ pricing. Visitors to Salihundam with foreign numbers are billed at the rate for their country code, published in rupees on the pricing page. Invoices carry your Andhra Pradesh GSTIN.

Work out your own monthly cost by message type.

Calculate your exact cost

Telugu templates, replies in Odia too

Meta approves each template once per language. Srikakulam businesses write theirs in Telugu, with English and Hindi for buyers and visitors from elsewhere.

Customers from across the Odisha border may write in Odia, which is not a template language. Inside the 24-hour window your staff can reply in Odia freely; templates go in Telugu, Hindi or English. InfiQ's own support team works in English and Hindi.

Meta template languages relevant to Srikakulam
LanguageMeta codeUse it for
TeluguteCustomers, weavers, growers and pilgrims across the district
English (India)en_INWholesale buyers, tour groups and banks
HindihiPilgrims and buyers from north India

On InfiQ

What a Srikakulam business runs on InfiQ

The middle layer of the stack, in practice.

  1. Shared team inbox

    The counter, the godown and the owner answer one number, with transfers, notes and labels such as khadi or kernels, so no buyer's question waits for the one person who knows.

  2. Consent records and opt-out enforcement

    A buyer's yes to updates, given during the chat, is recorded with its date; STOP replies are enforced at platform level.

  3. Template manager and library

    Draft the few Telugu templates a shop needs, dispatch, balance due and booking, from the library and track each through Meta's approval.

  4. Published per-market rates

    For a Salihundam group from abroad, the per-message rate for their country code is published in rupees before you send the itinerary.

Nearby

Srikakulam and north Andhra on the map

City pages around the district and across the Odisha border, nearest first.

Srikakulam's khadi and cashew travel south along the coast and north into Odisha; each neighbouring page looks at its own town's trades, and the India guide covers consent and the rules for the whole country.

Guides for Srikakulam teams

Questions Srikakulam businesses ask

  1. Q1

    Buyers write to our Ponduru khadi shop after seeing our sarees at a Town Hall exhibition. Do we need a template to answer them?

    No. When a buyer writes first, Meta opens a 24-hour window in which your staff can reply freely with photos and prices, each reply at ₹0.145. You need an approved template only when you write first, for example the dispatch note with the courier's tracking number, a utility template at ₹0.19.

  2. Q2

    Our weavers' society in Ponduru sells through the APCO outlet and district exhibitions. Can we invite past buyers to the next exhibition?

    Yes, but only buyers who agreed to hear from you; record when and where each said yes. An exhibition invitation is a marketing template at ₹0.94, written in Telugu (te) and, for buyers from other states, English. Buyers who reply STOP are blocked from later sends.

  3. Q3

    We trade cashew kernels from the district to sweet makers in other states. Can we confirm each order and remind buyers of payment on WhatsApp?

    Yes, to buyers who agreed to updates. An order confirmation with the grade, weight and dispatch date, and a reminder of the amount due, are utility templates at ₹0.19 each, with no offer in them. If you keep accounts in Busy, InfiQ's Busy integration sends payment reminders automatically.

  4. Q4

    Our lodge is a short walk from the Arasavalli Sun temple. Can three of us answer the same WhatsApp number when families write in?

    Yes. The shared team inbox gives 10 users on Lite and 25 on Growth, with transfers, notes and labels, so the desk, the owner and the car driver can work one number. A room confirmation for a family that booked is a utility template at ₹0.19.

  5. Q5

    Some customers near the Odisha border write to us in Odia. Can our Srikakulam shop's templates be in Odia?

    No. Odia is not one of the languages Meta approves templates in, so write templates in Telugu, Hindi or English. Replies are different: inside the 24-hour window after a customer writes, your staff can answer in Odia, with no approval needed.

  6. Q6

    We take groups from abroad to the Buddhist site at Salihundam. What does an itinerary message to a foreign number cost?

    Meta charges by the recipient's country code, so a visitor with a Sri Lankan or Thai number is billed at that market's rate, which InfiQ publishes in rupees on the pricing page. A visitor using an Indian SIM is billed at the India utility rate, ₹0.19. Invoices are in rupees either way.

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Sources

Facts on this page were checked against these sources on the dates shown. Page updated 2026-10-20.

  1. [1]Srikakulam district: official website · District Administration, Srikakulam · read 2026-10-20
  2. [2]Handlooms and textiles: ODOP 2023, Ponduru cotton sarees · District Administration, Srikakulam · read 2026-10-20
  3. [3]Religious tourism · District Administration, Srikakulam · read 2026-10-20
  4. [4]Produce: Palasa cashew nuts · District Administration, Srikakulam · read 2026-10-20
  5. [5]Andhra Pradesh: state profile (updated July 2026) · India Brand Equity Foundation · read 2026-10-20

Answer the Srikakulam buyer who writes first

Start a 7-day Lite trial, no card needed, or talk to us about the shared inbox and the two or three Telugu templates a khadi shop, cashew trader or lodge needs.

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