Lok Sabha Question No. 3423 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-07
Subject: Participation of Farmers in Commercial Activities
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3423 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  7 TH  AUGUST, 2018

## PARTICIPATION OF FARMERS IN COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES

3423.  SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE:

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE  AND  FARMERS  WELFARE      ‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं  किसान िल्याण ½ãâ¨ããè be pleased to state:

- (a) whether any effective steps have been taken by the Government to increase the participation  of  farmers  in  other  agriculture  related  commercial  activities  apart  from farming and if so, the details thereof; and
- (b) the manner in which farmers' income is likely to be doubled without ensuring the remunerative prices for their produces and the time by which the farmers' income will be doubled?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF  STATE IN THE  MINISTRY OF  AGRICULTURE AND  FARMERS  WELFARE

‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं  किसान  िल्याण ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã  ½ãñâ  Àã·¾ã  ½ãâ¨ããè (  SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

- (a): A farmer's income is a basket of earnings from agriculture (including horticulture), allied  activities  like  dairy,  livestock,  poultry,  fishery  etc.  and  ancillary  activities  like beekeeping etc. Apart from these farm incomes, he also earns from other activities like wage  labour,  off-farm  activities  etc.  The  Government  is  promoting  various  allied activities for enhancing the income of farmers viz;
- (i) 'Har  Medh  Par  Ped'  initiative  launched  during  2016-17  to  encourage  tree plantation  on  farm  land,  along  with  crops/  cropping  system.  Implementation  of  the scheme  has  been  started  in  those  States  where  liberalized  transit  regulations  have been  notified.  Other  States  are  also  being  motivated  to  notify  liberalized  transit regulations. Agroforestry will not only help in increasing soil organic carbon but also in creating additional source of income to farmers.
- (ii) National Bamboo Mission has been announced in the Union Budget 2018-19 for value chain based holistic development of this sector as a supplement to farm income.
- (iii) Bee keeping has been promoted under  Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture  (MIDH)  to  increase  the  productivity  of  crops  through  pollination  and increase the honey production as an additional source of income of farmers.

(iv) Rashtriya Gokul Mission has been implemented to enhance milk production and productivity of bovines and to make milk production more remunerative to the farmers.

(v)      National Livestock Mission has been implemented to increase productivity and genetic improvement of livestock.

(vi) Foreseeing  high  potential  in  fisheries  sector,  a  Blue  Revolution  with  multi dimensional activities mainly focusing on fisheries production, both inland and marine is being implemented.

(b): The  Government  has  set  a  target  of  doubling  of  farmers'  income  by  the  year 2022.  The  Government  has  constituted  an  Inter-Ministerial  Committee  under  the Chairmanship of Chief Executive Officer, National Rainfed Area Authority, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare to examine issues relating to doubling of farmers' income and recommend a strategy to achieve doubling of farmers' income in real terms by the year 2022.

At present, thirteen draft volumes of 'Strategy for Doubling Farmers' Income by 2022'  prepared  by  the  Committee  have  been  uploaded  on  the  website  of  this Department (http://agricoop.nic.in/doubling-farmers) for seeking public opinion.

The Government has been reorienting the agriculture sector by focusing on an income-centeredness  which  goes  beyond  achieving  merely  the  targeted  production. The income approach focuses on achieving high productivity, reduced cost of cultivation and remunerative price on the produce, with a view to earn higher profits from farming. Various  initiatives  by  way  of  schemes  and  policy  reforms  have  been  rolled  out  in consonance with this approach.

In order to improve the marketing system for farmers to get better remunerative prices  for  their  produce  and  for  improving  their  bargaining  power,  Government  has taken the following steps:-

(i) Launched  e-National  Agriculture  Market  (e-NAM)  and  e-trading  platform  to facilitate farmers to realise better price through online, transparent competitive bidding system.

(ii) Released  model  'The  State/UT  Agricultural  Produce  and  Livestock  Marketing (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2017' (APLM Act). Model APLM Act guides the States to amend their marketing laws to promote a competitive, efficient markets;

(iii) Released  model  'Agricultural  Produce  and  Livestock  Contract  Farming  & Services (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2018' for adoption by the States/ UTs.  Contract Farming Act on adoption by the States aims at facilitating, mitigation of price risk and market uncertainties for the contracting sponsors including farmers.

(iv) Development  and  up-gradation  of  rural  haats  as  Gramin  Agricultural  Markets (GrAMs).  GrAMs would provide better access to market & marketing, while helping to reduce wastages and marketing costs.

(v) Promoting  collectivisation  of  farmers  through  formation  of  FPOs,  Cooperatives etc.  to  improve  their  economy  of  scale  and  improving  collective  bargaining  power  of farmers.

Giving a major boost for the farmers' income, the Government has increased the Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) of all kharif crops for 2018-19 Season. This decision of the  Government  is  a  historic  one  as  it  redeems  the  promise  of  the  pre-determined principle of fixing the MSPs at a level of at least 150 percent of the cost of production announced by the Union Budget for 2018-19.

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