The government’s efforts to double the income of farmers have yielded “very positive” results, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said in Parliament on Tuesday. The government had set up an Inter-Ministerial Committee in April 2016 to examine issues relating to “Doubling of Farmers’ Income (DFI)” and recommended strategies to achieve the same.
The government’s efforts to double the income of farmers have yielded “very positive” results, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said in Parliament on Tuesday. The government had set up an Inter-Ministerial Committee in April 2016 to examine issues relating to “Doubling of Farmers’ Income (DFI)” and recommended strategies to achieve the same.
The panel had submitted its final report to the government in September 2018. It contained the strategy for doubling farmers’ income through various policies, reforms and programmes.
As per the strategy, Tomar said the government has adopted and implemented several policies, reforms, developmental programmes and schemes for achieving higher income for farmers directly or indirectly.
The efforts of the government to double the income of farmers have yielded very positive results,” he said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
As part of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has released a book that contains compilation of success stories of 75,000 farmers out of innumerable farmers who have increased their income more than two times, he added.
Samunnati Agro Solutions Private Limited joins hands with Germany-based GLOBALG.A.P., the leading body for setting global standards for agricultural produce particularly, on food safety and quality. Samunnati and GLOBALG.A.P. together aim to collaborate in developing standards for crops such as cereals, pulses, and oilseeds that are important for the nation.
The GLOBALG.A.P. protocols are used as benchmarks for enabling international trade in agri commodities and are widely used by many of the biggest companies involved in the cross-border trading of agricultural produce. By joining the GLOBALG.A.P network as an Associate Community Member, Samunnati is keen to support the development of standards for major staples such as cereals, pulses, and oilseeds, which are cultivated on large scale by hundreds of millions of farmers and are locally relevant. These crops are of strategic importance to India in the context of its Atma Nirbhar & Make in India ambitions for ensuring food and nutritional security and further augmenting its growing stature in the international agro commodity trade as a reliable producer of safe and quality food complying with global standards.
This is in sync with Samunnati’s priorities to unlock the trillion-dollar-plus potential of Indian agriculture through working with diverse stakeholders like FPOs, farmers, agribusiness companies, experts, and other ecosystem players. GLOBALG.A.P. will bring its global expertise in developing standards that are locally adaptable by the farmers especially, smallholders.
Anil Kumar S G, Founder & CEO of Samunnati, said, “We see this as an important step in the right direction to promote sustainable farming practices focusing on major crops that are valuable to the nation. By leveraging mutual synergies, Samunnati and GLOBALG.A.P. are keen to ensure adequate production of safe, nutritious, and good quality food both for domestic consumers and export markets. By adopting GLOBALG.A.P. protocols, our homegrown food can comply with global standards and will be able to access newer global markets. These protocols also help in enhancing productivity and improving resource use efficiency contributing towards sustainability. Here, FPOs can certainly play a big role in encouraging their member farmers to adopt the standards, which will help the farmer collectives explore remunerative markets including exports, through which value realization for the farmers is enhanced. Samunnati will explore all these opportunities keeping the smallholder farmers at the center.”
He further added that Samunnati firmly believes that it is a shared responsibility of every entity in the agri-food value chain to ensure food that reaches the consumers is safe, of good quality, and produced sustainably. This requires concerted efforts and investments by various ecosystem stakeholders and partnerships particularly, for capacity building, technology transfer, and educating farmers on the need and benefits of adopting good agricultural practices (GAP) and Samunnati welcomes like-minded entities for collaboration for the ultimate benefit of the smallholder farmers.
The mandi essentially functions as a market where farmers sell their produce to customers through AUCTION. The APMC’s rules are followed when operating it. The adithis at the mandi, who hold licenses and are given a store in the market, facilitate the auction. Adithis are commission agents or middlemen. Additional goods that will be sold in the mandi are ‘notified’ by APMC. Only the mandi in its region is permitted to sell the commodities that have been notified. These goods are unable to be sold by farmers to consumers directly.
So, early in the morning on a mandi day, farmers (or their representatives) bring their produce to the mandi where the commission brokers auction it off to the buyers. They charge a fee, ranging from 5% to 10% of the selling price, as a commission for facilitating the transaction. The commission agents are in charge of maintaining Mandi’s infrastructure.
Modern-Day Supply Chain Structure
People want direct marketing, which involves consumers buying directly from farmers, to be permitted because the mandi monopoly is under attack. Everybody wants to establish a farm-to-fork supply chain that will link producers and consumers directly. According to the premise, this will cut down on waste and improve the effectiveness of the supply chain. A win-win situation for producers and consumers is created by the fact that there is just one intermediary and the farmer can receive a bigger price share of the final price. These new supply networks are typically beginning in communities close to cities. The chain is sustainable because of the high price of vegetables and the high rate of consumption in cities.
However, unlike the mandi system, where the farmer and adithi maintain a relationship more significant than just a business transaction, we are here linking farmers with far-off markets. The farmer and adithi live in the same village and regularly interact. In contrast, the customer in the new chain is unrelated to the farmer’s welfare. Their relationship is strictly professional, and they want to make the most money possible. The farmer can still sell it at the mandi even if the buyer leaves tomorrow. The mandi must, however, conduct transactions frequently in order to survive.
The farmer will be left without a market if the buyer purchases for two to three years before moving out when he finds the same goods in another village for less money. But in the interim, he generates enough revenue to go through a challenging season or two. What about the adjustments to his way of life? Why should our capitalist values degrade the simple earthman? Recall how the price of the vanilla crop fluctuated when the trade was switched from Africa to India and back.
Conclusion
The majority of these modern-day supply Chain models are also driven by the market, which is another aspect of them. The buyer provides a list of the commodities that the farmer should grow for his customers. These farmer platforms give farmers more negotiating leverage, decreasing their vulnerability to buyer exploitation.
“West Bengal has 30% minority population. After 75 years of Independence, when the country is celebrating ‘Amritmahotsav’, what has the minority community received?” said the BJP’s national vice president Dilip Ghosh. “If 30% of the population is deprived and they don’t come to the mainstream, how will the state of West Bengal progress?”
The BJP is seeking to woo the Muslim community ahead of the Panchayat polls and 2024 Lok Sabha election, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently urged workers at the party’s national executive meeting to reach out to all sections of society, including marginalised communities and minorities.
“West Bengal has 30% minority population. After 75 years of Independence, when the country is celebrating ‘Amritmahotsav’, what has the minority community received?” said the BJP’s national vice president Dilip Ghosh. “If 30% of the population is deprived and they don’t come to the mainstream, how will the state of West Bengal progress?”
Ghosh further said, “For the development of the poor, Modi has introduced several schemes, out of which minority communities are getting so many benefits. The minority community will face the brunt if there is loot in PM Awas Yojana. They have been deprived of benefits as it has not reached them due to (chief minister) Mamata Banerjee.”
The BJP’s state leaders said the Muslim community in West Bengal must get the benefits of schemes such as Krishak Samman Nidhi and Ayushman Bharat in order to become part of the development process.
Recently, Bollywood actor-turned politician Mithun Chakraborty, who is a BJP National Executive Committee member, addressed a number of public rallies in South 24 Parganas district, which is minority dominated and known to be a stronghold of the ruling All India Trinamool Congress. He urged the people to vote for the BJP in the panchayat polls and reap the benefits of PM Awas Yojana, which he said was marred by corruption by the ruling party. He also emphasised that the BJP was never against the BJP. I want the welfare of Muslim brothers,” he said.
Leader of opposition in the state assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, said, “Who have you (minority community) brought to power? Out of 100, at least 95 have voted for Mamata Banerjee. See, who have you brought to power? You have to work at the grassroots and remove Mamata Banerjee from power.” Meanwhile, Firhad Hakim, a minister in the Mamata Banerjee government, slammed the BJP, saying, “A party, which has always attacked the minority and deprived them of basic rights, is now trying to woo the community and use them as a tool to reduce TMC’s votes. Suvendu Adhikari, who claims to be a ‘Sanatan Hindu’ and attacked the Muslims as “jihadis’ is now trying to stand for the minorities.”
The increase in agri credit by 11.11% to Rs 20 lakh crore for the next fiscal year will help reduce dependence of farmers on local moneylenders who often charge usurious interest rates, as they could take credit from the formal banking channels. Experts also see the proposal on the Agriculture Accelerator Fund for supporting startups in the agriculture sector as a positive.
Small and marginal farmers in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are expected to benefit from the finance minister’s proposal to popularise millets, but those from states like Punjab where rice and wheat are the main crops said they did not see much for them in the union budget.
The increase in agri credit by 11.11% to Rs 20 lakh crore for the next fiscal year will help reduce dependence of farmers on local moneylenders who often charge usurious interest rates, as they could take credit from the formal banking channels. Experts also see the proposal on the Agriculture Accelerator Fund for supporting startups in the agriculture sector as a positive.
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget seeks to make India a global hub for millets, which are seen as a healthier alternative to rice and wheat and require lesser water and other inputs for cultivation compared with other staple crops. She announced that the Indian Institute of Millet Research in Hyderabad would be made into a centre of excellence so as to further improve local production of the cereal grains.
India produces more than 50.9 million tonnes of millets, accounting for 80% the output in Asia and 20% of the global production. India’s average yield of millets is 1,239 kgs per hectare, compared with the global average of 1,229 kgs.
In India, millets are primarily a kharif crop, mostly grown in rainfed conditions.
“The small and marginal farmers, who have less money, cultivate this crop which is emerging as a super food. The FM’s initiative to promote millet will benefit these farmers as acreage will increase and their earnings will increase, too,” said Yashwanth Chidipothu, national spokesperson of the Federation of All India Farmers’ Association.
India cultivates nine varieties of millets: foxtail, finger, barnyard, browntop, litte, kodo, pearl, proso and sorghum. Tamil Nadu cultivates at least seven kinds of these, while Karnataka grows at least five varieties.
But the small and marginal farmers from Punjab are not happy about the budget. Bhagwan Dass, secretary-general of the Young Farmers Association in Punjab, said: “There is nothing for the small and marginal farmers of Punjab in this year’s budget. The farmers here grow rice and wheat, and millet is not grown by them.”
However, the Agriculture Accelerator Fund has been lauded by experts. Soumyak Biswas, partner – management consulting, at BDO India, said the fund would act as a catalyst to spur growth in the agriculture tech ecosystem and address challenges relating to input-output linkages, precision farming, ensuring traceability and quality of production, and higher value addition.
Biswas added “Increase in agriculture credit is expected to channelise the farmers to formal banking channels however the crux of the fact that there has to be awareness among the small and marginal farmers who are a large majority of the farming community and would be the biggest beneficiary of this credit facilities – as they lack scale, have hardly any bargaining power with the input suppliers and intermediaries whom they depend upon largely for transportation and/ or selling their produce.”
Dhawale reiterated the call for protests in front of Raj Bhawans across the country including J&K on November 26 urging people to participate in the protests. The day will mark two years since tens of thousands of farmers arrived at the Singhu and Tikri borders of Delhi to successfully campaign for the revocation of farm laws passed by the BJP government.
The national president of All India Kisan Sabha, Dr Ashok Dhawale said that the BJP-RSS government abrogated Article 370 and 35 (A) as J&K is the only muslim majority region in the country and since then the people here have faced gradual disempowerment.
Dhawale while addressing a conference here in Srinagar said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had snatched the rights of people of J&K in August 2019 and Article 370 and 35 (A) were constitutional guarantees to preserve rights, land and jobs of the people of J&K.
“The decision of August 5 2019 was taken on communal lines. Kashmir was targeted because J&K is the only muslim majority region across the country. Modi, Shah and Mohan Bagwat are following the British policy of divide and rule politics to create wedge between muslims, hindus, sikhs, christians and others,” said Dhawale. He said that AIKS rejects the GoI’s decision of August 5, 2019 and stands in solidarity with the people of J&K.
Dhawale reiterated the call for protests in front of Raj Bhawans across the country including J&K on November 26 urging people to participate in the protests. The day will mark two years since tens of thousands of farmers arrived at the Singhu and Tikri borders of Delhi to successfully campaign for the revocation of farm laws passed by the BJP government. He also informed that the farmers, workers and labourers from across the country will gather in New Delhi in April next year to protest around the parliament when the budget session would be going on.
The AIKS leader said that the organisation has 1.36 crore farmers as members in 25 states and UTs across the country and thus makes it an influential voice from the grassroot level.
“Apple farmers who have suffered a lot due to official apathy. The administration closed the highway for 15 days when apple produce was transported to ensure that the farmers suffer,” said Dhawale.
He reiterated that the farmers across the country have four basic demands which the ruling central government should address immediately. “Parliament should pass a bill for 1.5 times the input cost as MSP for all farmers including apple, dairy and other sectors,” he said. The AIKS leader informed that four lakh farmers have committed suicide across the country in the last 25 years including one lakh in last eight years when BJP led government was ruling in the centre.
“Loans of farmers should be waived off, there should be a genuine crop insurance policy that will help the farmer in case of any natural calamity and the new electricity bill that will increase the cost at least five times should not be passed,” he said.
While the overall budget has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11% in the past decade (fiscal 2013 to fiscal 2023), allocations to agriculture sector and rural development. have increased at a CAGR of ~12%.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced in her budget speech that an Agriculture Accelerator Fund will be set up to encourage agri-startups by young entrepreneurs.
The agri credit target was increased by 20 lakh crore by the finance minister.
Among other big ticket announcements, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget speech said the government will launch ‘Aatmanirbhar Clean Plant Programme’ to boost availability of disease-free, quality planting material for high value horticultural crops at an outlay of Rs 2,200 crore.
A new sub-scheme of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana will be launched with targeted investment of Rs 6,000 crore to further enable activities of fishermen, fish vendors, and micro and small enterprises, improve value chain efficiencies, and expand the market, she said.
“The agriculture credit target will be increased to Rs 20 lakh crore with focus on animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries,” the FM said.
The government has been increasing the credit target for the farm sector every year.
“Finance Minister talks of setting up of Agriculture accelerated fund to promote Agri start-ups in rural India to improve farm productivity and farmers profitability. Measures to boost farm income in Union Budget 2023-24 is positive for farm mechanisation space with key beneficiaries being M&M and Escorts on the tractor front,” said ICICI Securities.
While the overall budget has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11% in the past decade (fiscal 2013 to fiscal 2023), allocations to agriculture sector and rural development. have increased at a CAGR of ~12%.
“The budget focuses a lot on the supply and input side of the agricultural value chain. The increased availability of credit, facilitation of better-quality inputs through clean plant program, investments in digital infrastructure and skill development will all help in increasing farm level productivity by building awareness and facilitating better quality inputs. Finally, the agriculture accelerator announcement for promoting start-ups in ag-tech enterprises will help increase yield and productivity on the supply side while also enhancing price realisation for the farmer on the demand side through more efficient market linkages,” said Anand Ramanathan, Partner, Deloitte India.
productivity on the supply side while also enhancing price realisation for the farmer on the demand side through more efficient market linkages,” said Anand Ramanathan, Partner, Deloitte India.
Most recent budgets gave a short shrift to agriculture. Last year’s budget announcements for the sector were also seen as being high on policy rhetoric and low on real allocation.
In the previous budget, total allocation for the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare was Rs 1.32 lakh crore. This was 0.7 per cent higher than a year earlier. In real terms, there was no raise in allocation for the sector.
Many of the farm sector’s legacy problems have continued to linger. One of the major issues pertains to government control, or lack of agri liberalisation — critical aspects such as input-output, marketing and distribution are controlled by the government.
Experts say there is a need to create farm employment opportunities and move towards commercialisation and diversification. Equally important are modern land records to undertake farm reforms.
One of the oldest industries in history is agriculture. Farming is regarded as one of the world’s most difficult and demanding vocations. Not only that, but it provides a source of income for many households, and it affects almost every industry. So, if you’re seeking strategies to make money selling agricultural products online, look no further. Then this is the place for you.
Agriculture is one of the oldest industries on the planet. Agricultural firms would always generate large revenues due to man’s insatiable demand for food. Agricultural firms would always generate significant revenues because of man’s insatiable desire for food.
It’s one thing to start and build a farm, but it’s quite another to get your agricultural products to the buyer. While there are numerous ways to sell your agricultural products, most farmers never consider the internet as a viable option. Many people may be perplexed as to how a farmer may sell agricultural items online, but the truth is that most people have no idea.
Selling your agricultural products successfully within a short amount of time after harvesting is not only ideal but also critical to your entire agribusiness growth and survival. While you can still sell your farm products offline, these internet channels will not only help you limit the quantities lost due to spoilage and other issues, but will also ensure you maximize your agricultural product sales to the best value feasible.
Here Are 5 Online Agricultural Product Selling Strategies.
Market Place on the Internet:
Selling agricultural products online has become easier due to the rise of internet market sites. Many internet market venues in India are designed specifically for farmers. Kisan Sabha is one example. Adding your farm products to these platforms is another approach to increase exposure and, ultimately, sales.
The first step in selling agricultural products on an online marketplace is to study the terms and conditions. These would typically include their charges as well as general rules and restrictions.
Use of social media
The growth of social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and others has enabled many small business owners to reach millions of new clients without ever leaving their computer screens. Social media marketing is becoming more powerful by the day, and it has the potential to either explode or kill your business.
Many people are unaware that they can sell their agricultural products on social media platforms such as Facebook. With millions of people in your own country utilizing these social networking sites, you may implement an effective social media marketing strategy with the assistance of a social media marketer to develop significant awareness for some of your farm products.
Grocery Store on the Internet:
Online grocery stores are a great location to market some of your farm products. “A grocery store is a retail store that mostly sells food,” according to Wikipedia. While the food items sold by online grocery stores vary, if you’re a farmer that raises potatoes, poultry (e.g. chickens and turkeys), aquatic animals (e.g. fisheries products), and a few other farm products, many online grocery stores would be a suitable fit for you. Many people are turning to organic and nutritious foods, but manufacturers have suffered as a result of middlemen and do not receive a fair price. But what if we told you that you could get a head start on your agricultural product business without the help of a middleman? Furthermore, it is important to acquire the price you deserve, which is only possible by selling agricultural products online, and in the process, KisanSabha is your perfect guiding partner.
In India, the agricultural landscape is changing rapidly. In India, the Internet of Things (IoT) is exploding, and it is having a significant impact not just in the healthcare, automotive, technology, retail, and travel industries, but also in agriculture.
Despite advances in agricultural technology, the majority of Indian farmers continue to sell their crops to village-level traders and produce aggregators. Farmers used to dump their produce to local traders, or middlemen, who set the price. This practice is still used by the majority of farmers in India today. These dealers would then increase the price and offer it to customers or other retail outlets.
Farmers are always on the losing end of such arrangements. Most farmers do not sell their produce at mandi’s, government organizations, or cooperatives, where they could earn a better price.
The next difficulty would be to figure out how to sell to mandis that would command better prices for the produce. Where does a farmer go, and how does he know if one mandi is better than the other?
“The crops were rotting because the local wholesalers were providing such low prices.” “That’s when I came across Kisan Sabha and I advertise my products online,” Chauhan adds.
Balram Chauhan, a farmer in Haryana, has six acres of land and hopes to purchase another. Chauhan is encouraged by the additional 20% profit he made by selling his products online.
“We have successfully sold wheat and soybean through Kisan Sabha’s online portal.” We used to sell our distressed produce at the time of harvesting to pay lenders on the spot. “By selling online this year, we were able to increase our income by 20%, and also the transportation booking hurdles were also solved as they have the facility of booking transport through their portal,” Chauhan remarked.
It’s the first time his crops have been sold outside of Haryana, which is a significant accomplishment for a farmer. Several states have loosened laws, allowing farmers to sell directly to customers throughout the country.
Farmers can use Kisan Sabha, an internet portal, to compare mandi tariffs in real-time. Farmers might also look for nearby mandis to sell their produce. Farmers can choose the finest mandi based on distance and cost to sell their harvest from a list of local mandis that display the distance in kilometers and pricing for each crop. The price for selling at the Mandi’s will be 15-20% higher than the price for selling to intermediaries and village-level traders.
KisanSabha not only assists farmers in getting a higher price for their crops but also works with them to improve the quality and quantity of their production. Farmers may see results in such a short time with KisanSabha, and they can harvest rewards within the same season by using this platform. Crop management aids farmers in predicting the likelihood of disease infestation in their crops.
Farmers now make at least 15-20% more money through online sales than previously. Aside from that, the absence of a middleman and commissioning agency has enabled them to receive immediate payment for their goods.
Apple provides livelihood to around nine lakh households in India mainly from Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. J&K produces 77 percent of apple fruit across India followed by 19 percent from Himachal Pradesh and around 2.5 percent from Uttrakhand.
The All India Kisan Sabha held a national workshop of apple farmers in Kashmir resolving to form an Apple Farmers Federation of India mainly compromising the growers across three states of J&K, Himachal and Uttarakhand, alongwith striving to form small cooperatives.
In the workshop AIKS vowed to import the model of cooperatives of Kerala in this region to ensure that the small apple growers are benefited and aren’t invisiblized by the corporates engaged in the apple trade. They have decided to submit a charter of demands to the Union Government and undertake struggles till realisation of the demands which include declaration of Rs 2500 crore package to enhance per hectare productivity of apples.
“We have decided to form an 11 member committee of apple growers from J&K, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand who will take up the day to day issues of the farmers on ground,” said Hanan Mollah, general secretary of AIKS. The AIKS said that they are now focussing on issues crop wise across the country and apple remains the backbone of the economy in Kashmir Valley. “Out of the total Rs 14400 crore value of apple in market only Rs 4300 crore reaches to the actual grower and more than Rs 10,000 crore is taken by the corporates, businessmen and middlemen. This has to be changed and formation of small cooperatives can help us to counter this,” said Mollah.
Former legislator and CPI(M) leader Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami, urged the AIKS members from Kerela to help build a ‘Kerala type’ model of cooperatives in northern region of the country. “Collective cooperative farming will bring bargaining power and facilitate pooling of resources…such real-time experiments only can resist the present exploitation of large trade capitalists and their intermediaries. This will help in uniting the agrarian classes against corporate exploitation,” read the resolution of the farmer leaders.
Apple provides livelihood to around nine lakh households in India mainly from Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. J&K produces 77 percent of apple fruit across India followed by 19 percent from Himachal Pradesh and around 2.5 percent from Uttrakhand. The participants in the workshop stated that the Government of India had allowed import of apples to facilitate corporate control over wholesale as well as retail markets.
“Corporates make huge profits through multi- national trade manipulations. For example, Afghanistan does not have even one lakh metric ton of Apple production, however six lakh MT of Apple was imported by our country from Afghanistan in the recent period. Such trade manipulations by the corporate are allowed by the Union Government to crash the sales price for the farmers,” read the resolution.
These farmer leaders decided to reach out to all the apple farmers, spread across 20 districts across the country, within a stipulated time frame. They said this is the first step towards building a vibrant peasant movement based on the crop specific issues in this sector as part of the peasant movement against corporatization of agriculture.
“This government is worried about corporate giants like Adani but growers are suffering and nobody cares about them. Even pesticides are ruining our crops. I suggest that the government should establish a laboratory in every block to ensure the quality of pesticides,” said Tarigami.
