TAD NewsDesk, New Delhi: The government has very recently became concerned with the quality of agricultural products and in order to boost the sector have identified 15 broad categories. These categories have been distributed among each of the country’s 728 districts, one each so that there is convergence of resources under different schemes of various ministries and also it helps increase farmers’ income.
The products have been identified from the following sectors:
- Agricultural
- Horticultural
- Animal
- Poultry
- Milk
- Fisheries
- Aquaculture
- Marine sectors across the country
The letter said,
“These products need to be promoted in a cluster approach through convergence of the Government of India schemes to increase the value of the products and with the ultimate aim of increasing the income of the farmers,” said Shubha Thakur, a joint secretary in the agriculture ministry, in her letter to all the chief secretaries of the states. These identified products will be supported under the PM-FME scheme of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, which provides incentives to promoter and micro-enterprises.”
It took almost nine months to devise the programme, named One District One Focus Produce (ODOFP). This was announced and the idea sprang when PM Modi discussed it with various officials.
However, the success of the programme hinges on allowing entrepreneurs to directly purchase those products in each specified district. Since the implementation of the three farm laws has been stayed by the Supreme Court, states can suitably make changes in the Rules under their respective APMC Act so that entrepreneurs are allowed to buy directly from farmers, an agriculture ministry official said, adding there should not be any tax/cess on the ODOFP products as those are meant for export.
The government is hoping to achieve $60 billion agri exports by FY22.
Source: Financial Express
