RAMBAN: Deputy Commissioner, Ramban, Mussarat Islam reviewed progress of formation and promotion of “Farmer Producer Organization (FPO)” during 4th District Level Monitoring Committee, Ramban meeting, here today.
The meeting was attended by Chief Agriculture Officer, Farooq Ahmed, CAHO Dr. Bharat Bushan, DSHO, Dr. Vikas Gupta, DDM NABARD, Arushi Sharma, LDM, representatives from Garmin Vikas Trust and Surbhi Earth Foundation besides other officers of allied departments.
Detailed discussion was held on the status of FPO being formulated by the Gramin Vikas Trust in Sangaldan and Batote to scale-up production, branding and marketing of Anardana as major commodity and vegetable and quince as minor commodity under centrally sponsored scheme of NABARD sector.
The DC also reviewed progress on formation of FPO by Surabhi Earth Foundation in Ramban to enhance production, branding and marketing of Peas as major commodity and Maize as minor commodity.
The Deputy Commissioner directed the Agriculture and Horticulture Department to sensitize farmers about the advantage of FPO for taking maximum benefits from their crops by selling their produce in an organized way.
It was informed that 10 women members for Sangaldan- Tatapani Agro Producers Co Ltd. and 10 members for Batote Farmers Producers Co Ltd FPO have been identified from assigned blocks and their digital signature and other paper works have been completed.
The DC explained that the FPO is an institutional mechanism to reduce cost of production, increase per unit production and facilitate better market linkage so as to enhance the income of farmers would be registered under Companies Act.
The FPO will provide an end to end solution of the problems confronted by the farmers. The farmers will be free to manage their affairs from the production level to post harvest and marketing of their branded products, this will eliminate the clutches of the middle man and will be a big step towards the doubling of farmers’ income, the DC added.