Haryana Agriculture Minister encourages farmers to sell their produce as vendors
25 August 2020, Chandigarh: Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, Mr. Jai Prakash Dalal said that farmers should sell their produce as vendor.
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He elaborated that the state is formulating plans for this purpose as per which farmers can sell their produce through a FPO or by creating their own brand. Presently, a new plan is being formulated according to which the state will be opening 2,000 retail outlets in villages and cities in collaboration with the Department of Cooperation. These retail outlets will act as mini super markets.
A farmer can sell the produce wherever he desires
In a statement issued here today, Mr. Jai Prakash Dalal said that all the new initiatives taken by the Central Government and the State Government in the last six years are in the favour of the farmers. He informed that according to the two ordinances – ‘Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020’and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020’ – a farmer can sell the produce wherever he desires, not only in his own state but also in the mandis of other states.
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Similarly, under contract farming he can sell his produce to any person or bank and can pursue an e-contract. Thus, there will be no need for the farmer to mortgage the land with the bank for the crop loan.
Mr. Jai Prakash Dalal said that steps are being taken to achieve Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi’s vision of doubling farmer’s income by 2022. For the last two years, Minimum Support Price (MSP) is declared before the sowing of crops starts. With this, the farmer can decide to sow crop as per his choice.
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He said that these two Ordinances have given the liberty to the farmers to sell them produce outside the mandis if they are getting more price than the minimum support price (MSP). He further added that the government will purchase the farmer’s produce at minimum support price (MSP) otherwise it will meet the gap under Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana.
Mr. Jai Prakash Dalal said that new schemes are being introduced to reduce the dependence of farmers on arthiyas. He said that in the recently announced economic package of Rs 20 lakh crore by the Central Government, Rs 1 lakh crore has been earmarked for agricultural infrastructure, which includes warehouses, agro-based industries and others. The state is formulating plans to ensure that the farmers receive maximum amount of this package.
Photo credit: USDAgov on Visualhunt / CC BY
