The Hindu : Kerala News : Strategy to enhance agriculture production

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 17, 2006
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Kerala

Kerala

Strategy to enhance agriculture production

N.J. Nair

Planning Board's proposal presented to Government

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The Planning Board has mooted a strategy involving local self-government institutions (LSGIs) and cooperative societies to increase the yield of paddy and vegetables and market the produce to provide reasonable returns to small and marginal farmers in the State.

According to board sources, the strategy for effective intervention of the LSGIs and cooperatives to improve the lot of such farmers comprising mainly Dalits and Tribals, had been presented to the Government for approval.

The current rate of paddy production was 2.5 tonnes per hectare.

The thrust of the strategy was on enhancing it to six tonnes and making agriculture a profitable vocation for the farmers. Due importance would be given for increasing vegetable production too. The present market system does not provide enough options for the farmers to escape from the clutches of exploitation of middlemen and indigenous money-lenders. Many were forced to become adjunct of big traders and sell their produce at nominal rates. This was also aimed at reducing the dependence on neighbouring States for fruits and vegetables.

A thorough reprioritisation in the functioning of the LSGIs as well as the cooperatives was the first step that has been suggested since it was imperative for achieving the target without any hitch.

While the cooperative societies were focussing mainly on banking activities, the LSGIs were yet to take an effective role in increasing the area under paddy and vegetable cultivation and providing better alternatives to procure and market the produce.

Quite often the agencies deputed for procurement fail to function effectively and the farmers incur heavy loss.

As per the strategy worked out by the board, the panchayats as well as the cooperative societies should develop a procurement, processing and marketing mechanism to help the farmers overcome the constraints in securing reasonable returns for their toil.

Purchase mechanism

They should set up a mechanism to purchase the produce from the farmers and also a mill to process the grain without any delay. Marketing would be made one of the main functions of the cooperatives and LSGIs and training would be imparted to equip them to take up such responsibilities. Discussions of the working groups for ironing out the specifics of the strategy were progressing and it would be completed without any delay. Once implemented, Dalits and Tribals would be the major beneficiaries, sources said.

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