Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar facilitates 29 MoUs between FPOs and agri investors to boost farmers’ income

SGT Times Reporter

Chandigarh, November 30

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that continuous efforts are being made to strengthen the economic condition of the farmers and encourage them towards trade and market so that every individual in the state can get work and their income can be doubled.

The Chief Minister was speaking at the MoU signing ceremony between Agriculture Sector Investors and Farmer Producer Organizations here today.  He said that this is a golden programme organized for the farmers in which 29 MoUs have been made to give direct benefits through Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO).  Among them, an MoU has also been signed with Chaudhary Charan Singh Agriculture  University, Hisar, under which students of agriculture will also be able to do internship. He said that such steps would play an effective role in realizing the dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Expressing gratitude to the companies coming forward in food processing, the Chief Minister said that now the buyers will also get benefit as the prices in the market will also be less.  He urged the investors and FPOs in the agriculture sector to give priority to the families in the state having an income of less than Rs. 1 lakh by providing employment under Mukhyamantri Antyodaya Parivar Utthan Yojana.  By doing this, they will get the fruits of virtue along with self-satisfaction.  Apart from this, he asked 500 progressive farmers of the state to give training to small farmers in crop diversification.

The Chief Minister said that Haryana is emerging as a leading state in the formation of FPOs. They are also working to make agriculture beneficial.  This will help in economic evaluation and small farmers will get huge benefits.  He said that the FPOs would improve the production, sales, quality, packing, processing etc. for the farmers. Its objective is to collect produce from the farmers and provide them maximum value for it.

The Chief Minister said that with the objective of strengthening the Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), these companies will link the FPOs directly to the market. They will not need to sell their products in mandi and other places.  These companies will directly procure fruits, vegetables and honey from the farms.

The Chief Minister said that the direct linking of FPOs and companies will increase the quality of the crop and increase the income from processing and value addition. Emphasis will be laid on marketing plans in future.  Often farmers are more likely to suffer losses due to storing of crops for a long time due to lack of proper price and systematic marketing.

The Chief Minister said that Horticulture Market is being set up in Ganaur, Apple Market in Pinjore, Masala Market in Sonipat and Flower Market in Gurugram to increase the production of farmers and to provide them with a market.  Apart from this, farmers of NCR region are being encouraged to take up Peri-urban farming.

Addressing the function, Agriculture Minister JP Dalal said that with the signing of the MoUs, the FPOs will be  directly linked to the companies.  Under this, about 60,000 tonnes of horticulture crops will be purchased. These MoUs will take the progress of the farmers towards a new direction and with such marketing the farmers will be happy and prosperous.  He said that 599 FPOs have been formed in the State and more than 77,985 farmers have been linked with these Farmer Producer Organisations.  Under the new FPO policy, efforts will be made to reach the target of setting up 1000 FPOs by the year 2022. As many as 16 lakh farmers of the state will be connected with these organizations.

On this occasion Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Dr. Sumita Misra, Managing Director, SFACH, Dr. Arjun Singh Saini, company representatives and agricultural investors were also present.