FPOs can also take advantage of Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, will get money with interest rebate

Union Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary has said that FPO-Farmer Producer Organizations can also take advantage of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund of one lakh crore rupees. In this, a provision of two crore rupees has been made for grading, polyhouse, drone and machinery etc. This fund can be taken for 7 years and with 3 percent rebate in interest. The government has also decided to promote the use of drones in the agriculture sector. For this, up to 75 percent discount is being given on buying agricultural drones. In the year 2014, the budget of agriculture was only 23 thousand crore rupees, which has now increased to 1.32 lakh crore rupees. In order to benefit the farmers, 1000 mandis have been linked with e-NAM platform and now arrangements have been made to link FPOs with e-NAM.

Chaudhary was addressing a program of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) organized in Panchkula on Tuesday. He said that significant changes can be brought in the agriculture sector through FPOs. Now by making FPO, farmers will have to set up their own units by marketing and grading their crops etc. Through this way the income of farmers will increase.

How many members are required for FPO

Chaudhary said that in order to increase the income of the farmers, the agriculture sector will have to be connected with the market by equipping it with new technologies. In the direction of making farmers self-reliant and doubling their income, the Prime Minister has emphasized on the schemes of farming. He said that in view of the suggestions coming from the FPO, work is being done to change the guidelines.

FPO has to be formed with 300 farmer members in plain areas. Whereas in hilly states, FPO will be formed with 100 farmer members. The Union Minister said that elections are also necessary to organize FPOs. The amount of equity grant will be available to the FPO only after the general body meeting.

Work on Amul’s success story

The Minister of State for Agriculture said that Cluster Based Business Organizations (CBBOs) should get small farmers to do the work of grading and shortening of their crops. Make a project report for setting up the unit. CBBO will have to add maximum number of farmers in FPO for the upliftment of farmers, then only maximum benefit will be available. The story of Amul is in front of us in this direction. How has he created his profit work by revolutionizing milk production. Every milk producer has also got its benefit.

Similarly, we can set up the biggest FPO in fruits and vegetables. The government has set a target of setting up 10,000 FPOs. Referring to Haryana, Chaudhary said that 700 FPOs have been formed here. He himself has come after seeing FPO at five places. If farmers join FPO then their direction and condition will change.

Time for collective farming for small farmers

The Minister of State for Agriculture said that the Prime Minister is concerned about the small and marginal farmers. Therefore, now work is being done to promote Collective Farming. By doing collective farming, small farmers do not have to face the problem of fertilizers and seeds etc. for farming. Collectively buying agricultural inputs also saves up to 30 percent. Apart from this, such farmers also get benefit from the value-addition of their crop.