NAFED MSP PROCUREMENT – FACTS PUBLIC SHOULD KNOW NAFED MSP Procurement: NAFED, an independent public sector organization is entrusted with the responsibility of supporting various states through market intervention program of buying produce directly from farmers    with minimum support price (MSP) or MSP plush state declared addl bonus and store in the godowns.   NAFED engaged StarAgri as their warehouse partners and local procurement is entrusted to APMCs and other local channels through respective State Markfeds or NeML. Certification of crop extent, giving sale permits to farmers etc is handled by Markfeds in coordination with revenue and agriculture departments. Genuine farmers had night mare crossing these hurdles, where as traders and political personalities under the cover of farmer, could reach NAFED godowns directly bypassing the systems and controls. Farmers’ Situation: In case of poor farmers, they have to make produce   lots in market...

ELECTRONIC  MARKETS - GAME CHANGERS IN AGRICULTURE Infrastructure: The physical infrastructure which includes sheds for lots , commission agent’s offices, farmer welfare facilities, roads etc are very well established and reasonably maintained. If market cess is used to create village infrastructure like roads improvement, weighbridges, transport subsidy, rural go downs etc, it will be more useful to farmers and governments will get positive image. Market yard is managed by secretary, Chairman and members (mostly nominated). Wider participation and involvement of farmers, farmer producer companies shall be encouraged. Rythu bandhu scheme with go down facilities linking with banking and insurance is made available as facility to farmers. In practice it is not helping real farmers as the banks are not coming forward willingly to finance and even go downs maintenance and security are not up to mark for obvious reasons. Trade Linkages – Role of Credit: APMCs came ...

FARMERS ARE BEING TAKEN FOR RIDE- FIELD REALITIES  I met a farmer who sent 5 bags (150 kgs) bringal to Tenali municipal market from Kollipara village. In an auction it was sold for Rs 160/10 kgs. The farmer spent about Rs 300/- towards transport from village to mandi, Rs. 60/- hamali , Rs 20/- Asheel( market cess). Rs 100 to 150 is farmer expenditure if he goes to market for monitoring the transaction. Farmer paid Rs. 250/- as commission @10% on the sale consideration of Rs 2500/- . For a sale of Rs 2500/- expenditure is about Rs 750/- and it’s working out to 30%. From sale price of Rs 16/kg, farmer spent about Rs 5/kg as marketing expenditure. As all the expenditure is fixed cost except commission in case of less realizations the marketing cost will become as high as 50%. Even after charging hefty commission of 10% from farmers , the agents try to give advantage to the traders by my managing auctions with eye lid movements etc and exploit the farmers. I was told the...

HAR KADAM KISAN KI BAROSHA MEIN --COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTIONS FOR COMPLICATED INDIAN AGRICULTURE Introduction: India is gifted with rich soils, most suitable climatic conditions and water resources to produce variety of crops throughout the year. Being tropical country with different climatic zones we are in a position to grow variety of fruits round the year and Indian food and fruits taste better due its natural conditions. Due to these advantages, despite huge population, fragmented holdings, lower investments we are able to meet our requirements and by and large recognized as self sufficient country. Green revolution, white revolution, thrust on major irrigation dams soon after independence richly contributed for growth of Indian agriculture. Recent challenges: The impact of inappropriate minimum support prices, lack of timely credit facilities, storage facilities, failure of APMCs, globalization, technology, rising input costs, erratic prices, inconsistent govern...