Post Harvest Management and Marketing of Crops - Schemes and Steps

Post Harvest Management and Marketing of Crops - Schemes and Steps

Question: Recently, post harvest losses is an area where the government of India has taken several initiatives. Discuss the schemes and steps taken for improving post-harvest management and marketing of crops in India.

Government has taken many steps and formulated schemes for post-harvest management as well as marketing development and processing.

Integrated Scheme for Agriculture/ISAM:

• This scheme aims to create agricultural marketing infrastructure through backend subsidy support to State, private sector and cooperative investments

• It also works towards pledge financing and creation of scientific storage capacity for enhancing agricultural income

• Scheme looks to promote IVC/Integrated Value Chains confined to stage of primary processing for vertical integration of farmers

• Promotion of ICT to sensitise farmers to respond to agricultural marketing challenges

• Nation wide information network for speedy collection and market information dissemination based on market data for arrivals and timely utilisation of the same

• Supporting grade standards and quality certification of agricultural commodities and remunerative prices for graded produce

• Catalysing private investment in agribusiness projects and promoting backward linkages of these projects with producers

• Promotion of R&D and education, extension and consultancy in agri marketing sector

Other Steps and Schemes

• Under ISAM as well as Scheme of Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture/MIDH, assistance on capital cost is being provided for development of post harvest management systems which are integrated

• Efforts are also made to provide marketing infrastructure such as:

- Cold Storage
- Cold Chain logistics
- Integrated Value Chains
- Reefer Vans

• MIDH also aims to cover the following:

- Retail Outlets
- Primary Rural Markets
- Wholesale Markets
- Terminal Market complexes

• These schemes are available to the following categories of agriculturalists:

- Individuals, Group of farmers/growers, Registered Farmer Producer Organisations
- Partnership/Proprietary firms, Companies, Corporations.
- NGOs, SHGs.
- Cooperatives, Cooperative Marketing Federations.
- Autonomous Bodies of the Government, Local Bodies (excluding Municipal
- Corporations for storage infrastructure projects),
- Panchayats.
- State agencies including State Government Departments and
- Autonomous organisation/State owned corporations such as Agricultural Produce Market Committees & Marketing Boards, State Warehousing Corporations, State Civil Supplies Corporations and so on.

• Ministry of Food Processing is also implementing a Central Sector scheme of Cold Chain,Value Addition and Preservation Infrastructure since 2008-2009 Assistance is given for setting up integrated cold chain and infrastructure through this scheme

• Agri market reforms through deregulation of marketing fruits and vegetables outside the market yard was also proposed

• Alternative marketing channels such as direct purchase of fruits and vegetables from farmers at farm gate, private wholesale market and Kisaan Mandis are also proposed

• ICAR and Krishi Vigyan Kendras also set to impart training for better post harvest management to farmers

• Government is also taking measures like advocacy of reforms in marketing laws of states to promote collection centres near production cluster

• Backward and forward linkages are also being promoted by GoI

• Formation of Farmer Producers Organisations have been proposed for this purpose

Facts and Stats

• Overall budgetary allocation for ISAM is INR 4548 crore during 12th Plan, Sub scheme wise breakup of budget provision is INR 4000 crore for AMI, 12 crore for MRIN, 6 crore for SAGF, 400 crore for ABD and 30 crore for NIAM

• Marketing Division of Department of Agriculture is in charge of policy formulation for the agricultural marketing sector

• Directorate of Marketing and Inspection will implement 3 sub-schemes

• Direct marketing, contract farming and agricultural produce marketing assistance is available through these schemes

• Entrepreneurs in the field of agriculture will also be provided financial assistance

• Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure Scheme involves creation of 4000 marketing infrastructure projects and storage capacity of 230 lakh tonnes across the nation