With the aim to increase export of agriculture solutions, the Centre has identified numerous solutions below 15 broad categories, allotting one solution for every of the country’s 728 districts so that there is convergence of sources below distinctive schemes of numerous ministries and also it assists boost farmers’ revenue.
The solutions have been identified from agricultural, horticultural, animal, poultry, milk, fisheries, aquaculture, marine sectors across the nation following taking inputs from the states, Union Territories and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
“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,” stated Shubha Thakur, a joint secretary in the agriculture ministry, in her letter to all the chief secretaries of the states. These identified solutions will be supported below the PM-FME scheme of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, which delivers incentives to promoter and micro-enterprises, the letter stated.
The programme, named as One District One Focus Produce (ODOFP), was announced Saturday. It took practically nine months to design and style following Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the course of his interaction with officials in May final year on strategies to increase the agriculture sector, underlined the significance of creating Brand India for which agri-clusters can be promoted. The government has currently set a target to attain $60 billion agri exports by FY22.
Under the Rs 10,000-crore FME scheme, launched final year, two lakh micro-enterprises are targeted to be assisted with credit-linked subsidy more than a 5-year period to aid make infrastructure and marketing and advertising of these ODOFP solutions. The unorganised meals processing sector has almost 25 lakh units (66% positioned in rural places), which contribute to 74% of the total employment in the sector, when the remaining 25% work in the organised industries.
However, the achievement of the programme hinges on enabling entrepreneurs to straight acquire these solutions in every specified district. Since the implementation of the 3 farm laws has been stayed by the Supreme Court, states can suitably make modifications in the Rules below their respective APMC Act so that entrepreneurs are permitted to acquire straight from farmers, an agriculture ministry official stated, adding there really should not be any tax/cess on the ODOFP solutions as these are meant for export.
Kadapa and Anantapur districts in Andhra Pradesh had been identified for banana exports as element of a commerce ministry strategy in 2018 to create 50 districts as exports clusters. However, there had been troubles to sell bananas even in the domestic marketplace following the lockdown was announced final year and ultimately the agriculture ministry produced arrangement to sell these in other states. On the other hand, things like non-basmati rice performed effectively as the nation had exported more in the course of April-September of FY21 than the quantity shipped in complete FY20.