HT Correspondent
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JORHAT, Oct 21: Assam minister for Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary and Border Areas Development Atul Bora has said that Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) in the state have been emerging and have been able to make a mark in the global market.
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Inaugurating the two-day FPC Convention at the Assam Agricultural University at Borbheta here on Friday, the minister said that along with the rest of the country, FPCs have been formed across Assam in recent years and are doing well with several crops being exported.
Bora cited the examples of Tezpur Litchi, Assam Lemon, pineapple and different varieties of rice including red rice and joha rice.
Stating that young people have been involved in such ventures, the minister said that positive response has been received in the global market which had been turned mostly by young entrepreneurs with support from AAU, APART and other related agencies and the government.
While acknowledging the role played by Krishi Vigyan Kendras under AAU in developing the agriculture sector in the state, Bora spoke about the series of initiatives taken by the government to augment the agriculture sector which is a key component for the economic development and progress.
The minister mentioned the constitution of Assam Agriculture Commission headed by SH Gupta to ensure momentum in the agriculture and allied sectors.
Earlier, the Assam minister for PHED, Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Employment and Tourism Jayanta Malla Baruah, who was guest of honour, said that the state should do comparative study to see how much behind and how much ahead the farmers of the state are in comparison to farmers of other states.
Another guest of honour, organising secretary of Bharatiya Kisan Sangh Dinesh Kulkarni, who too attended the function, in his address said that the government of India was doing a lot to establish the FPCs but it is seen that benefits were not devolving to the farmers. He called for more transparency in the dealings.
He further said that the FPCs mostly comprised small and marginal farmers were not aware of how a company should be registered and taken forward. He said that the red tapism should be done away with, the process simplified and the penalty should not be imposed for different reasons on small farmers, who discontinued from going forward.
He also said that the state should develop agriculture infrastructure and upgrade the Agriculture Producers’ Marketing Committee.
The AAU vice chancellor Dr Bidyut Chandan Deka, addressing the gathering said that AAU had 60 FPCs under AAU.
Dr Deka further said that the convention has been organised to strengthen the movement by trying to understand the problems being faced by the FPCs and finding solutions to the problems. He further said that the convention would also try to chalk out the way forward.
Rajya Sabha MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, who also addressed the occasion stressed on market linkage for the farmers as it was often seen that the profit never went to the farmers due to which there was an exodus of youths from the villages.
The convention has been organised by the Directorate of Extension Education and partnered with the Extension Education Institute, both under AAU.
