Lok Sabha Question No. 301 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-19
Subject: Gap in Wholesale & Retail Prices of Vegetables
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Rajeshbhai Naranbhai Chudasama

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

## LOK  SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 301 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 19 TH   NOVEMBER, 2019

## GAP IN WHOLESALE & RETAIL PRICES OF VEGETABLES

301. SHRI RAJESHBHAI CHUDASAMA:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that there is a huge gap between the wholesale and retail prices of vegetables in various parts of the country, which not only hurt the farmers but also consumers; and
- (b) if so, whether the Government has formulated any plan to resolve this problem, if so, the details thereof and the time by which it would be implemented?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) & (b): Agricultural marketing is a state subject and the Government of India provides support and assistance to States/UTs to promote marketing .The wholesale & retail prices of the  agriculture  produce  including  Horticulture  commodities  depend  on  variety  of  factors  at any  given  point  of  time  such  as  demand  and  supply  of  the  produce,  climate  conditions, perishable  nature  of  the  produce  and  availability  of  transport.  The  quality  parameter  also plays an important role in the price of an agricultural commodity.

In  order  to  resolve  the  issue  of  price  ,  Government  has  taken  several  steps  like promoting  policy  reforms  and    providing  assistance  for  setting  up  marketing  and  value addition infrastructure, reefer transportation facilities mobilizing farmers  into  Farmer Producer Organization and linking them to markets.

Government  of  India  has  circulated  a  new  model  'The  Agriculture  Produce  and Livestock Marketing (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2017' to States/Union Territories (UTs) for its adoption. The Model APLM Act, 2017 provides alternate marketing channels such as setting up of private markets, direct marketing, farmer-consumer markets, special commodity markets, declaring warehouses/silos/cold storages or such structures as market sub-yards to facilitate farmers in marketing their produce at competitive and remunerative prices. Model APLM Act, 2017 has recommended deregulation of marketing of fruits & vegetables outside the market yards.

Besides,  Government is implementing National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) scheme wherein  online  trading  of  agriculture  and  horticulture  commodities  is  done  for  transparent price  discovery  for  farmers  for  their  produce  through  competitive  online  bidding  system. Already  trading  parameters  for  150  agricultural  commodities  including  75  horticultural commodities such as fruits & vegetables, spices, flowers etc have been given.

Further, Government of India has been promoting schemes  such as Rashtriya Krishi Vikas  Yojana-Remunerative  Approaches  for  Agriculture  and  Allied  Sector  Rejuvenation (RKVY-RAFTAAR), Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI) scheme, Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) and Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters) which aim  at  promoting  modern  infrastructure  including  that  of  post-harvest  and  marketing infrastructure and cold chain infrastructure for agriculture marketing  in the country.

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