To boost the marketing opportunities of farmers community, Minister for Agriculture Ghulam Hassan Mir today said that the government is keen to formulate a comprehensive mechanism for the procurement of agriculture produce from farmers to save them from distress sale.
While addressing the farmers during one day Machinery Mela organised by the Directorate of Agriculture, Jammu at Kissan Bhawan here today, he said "if there is a need to bring a legislation to safeguard the interests of the farmers, the Government would go for that." He said that steps are on to set up Procurement mandies in different areas of the Jammu division with the collaboration of Food Corporation of India.
Referring to the objective of holding of Machinery Melas across the state, the Minister said that the thrust area of the Agriculture Ministry is to motivate the farmers towards farm mechanisation in every activity to boost the agriculture production. He said that such initiatives were first introduced by the department in his own agriculture farms to familiarise the farmers about the benefits of farm mechanisation practically.
He said that an amount of Rs 4.37 crores was spent on farm mechanisation alone by the Directorate of Agriculture in Jammu Division under various centrally sponsored schemes during the year 2011-12, which included Rs 2.67 crores were disbursed as subsidy to the farmers against purchase of farm machinery by them.
The Minister said that under the new simplified procedure sanctioned by the Department the farmers could now buy the Farm Machinery of their own choice directly from dealers in the shortest possible time and avail subsidy for the same in a hassle-free manner. He impressed upon the farmers to opt for farm mechanisation right from land preparation to Post harvest handling of produce as mechanisation will not only cut down labour costs but also improve farm efficiency and enable better management of natural and human resources.
The Minister said that Chakaroi Farm is being developed as Basmati Seed producing farm to provide quality seed to Basmati growers. He said that government has taken numerous steps for providing marketing opportunities to them which includes lifting of ban on interstate and besides grading it for international market. He said in this regard Buyer Seller Meet were also organized to provide market linkages to the Jammu basmati on international level. He said that MoU has been signed to bring basmati under organic farming.
The Agriculture Minister also released CD's on Farm Mechanisation and Basmati Cultivation developed by the Department of Agriculture Jammu for the awareness of the farmers.
Vice- Chairman of the Kissan Board, Thakur Rashpal Singh lauded the efforts of the Department to facilitate the improvement in production and productivity of the farmers of the State improved varieties of Seed and Fertilizer
MLA Prof Chaman Lal Gupta , speaking on the occasion, asked all stakeholders to develop more liaison with the Department for greater benefit of schemes
Earlier, the Director of Agriculture Jammu Ajay Khajuria highlighted the salient features of the new simplified procedure for availing subsidy by the farmers.
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