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Centre to harmonise associations’ suggestions for Contract Farming Act
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Saturday, 13 January, 2018, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, New Delhi
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The Centre will be able to harmonise a host of suggestions that have come from industry associations, including PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, for the new Contract Farming Act over the next few weeks and subsequently push for its enactment with vigorous follow-ups with the states and Union Territories (UTs), as the proposed Act will be an ideal way forward to monetise agricultural and horticultural wastages that are substantially higher under the prevailing system.
This was stated by Ashok Dalwai, chief executive officer, National Rainfed Area Authority, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, during the National Conference on Cold Chain Infrastructure, which took place under the aegis of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry in New Delhi recently.
He informed that the Contract Farming Act had already been placed in the public domain to improve it with suggestions from the industry and other stakeholders, that have already come in. The senior functionaries in the department of agriculture would be able to harmonise them over the next few weeks.
“Thereafter, not only the ministry of agriculture, but also the PMO, would push hard for its timely enactment with the states and UTs so that farmers’ incomes are enhanced with public and private participation, as these stakeholders will bring in new technologies and advanced methodologies for improved agriculture, which could lead to better monetising farmers’ incomes with consumers receiving farm produce at cheaper and more competitive rates,” said Dalwai.
According to him, the focus of the government of the day is to uplift the rural economy through advancement and modernisation of Indian agriculture which lacked the induction of reforms even after India liberalised its economy in 1991.
Pawanexh Kohli, chief advisor and chief executive officer, National Centre for Cold Chain Development (NCCD), said, “Serious efforts have already been intensified by the Centre, including the prime minister’s office (PMO), to push for bringing in reforms replacing the agricultural produce market committees (APMCs) with a new model known as the Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2017, which is likely to bear fruit in next one year or so, since agriculture and marketing are both state subjects.”
He added that farmers’ produce could fetch them remunerative pricing provided cold chains were integrated through superior marketing logistics, as it was the only way out through which better pricing could be ensured for those involved in Indian agriculture and horticulture.
Among the other PHD Chamber representatives present on the occasion were Ranjeet Mehta, principal director; Ashish Mohan, chairman, roads, ports and other infrastructure committee, and R S Bedi, chairman, railways committee.
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