Lok Sabha Question No. 413 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-15
Subject: Impact of COVID-19 on Agricultural Supply Chain
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: D.K. Suresh

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.413

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  15 TH  SEPTEMBER, 2020

## IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON AGRICULTURAL SUPPLY CHAIN

413.   SHRI D.K. SURESH:

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

- (a) whether the Government has taken serious note of the impact of COVID-19 on the rural sector particularly on the agricultural supply chain, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  non-availability  of  permits  to  trucks  to  carry groceries, fruits, and cereals has impacted the supply chain of the country and caused major losses to farmers as it increased the time taken for the farm produce to reach the market, if so, the details of the same; and
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  give  compensation  to  farmers affected due to impact of COVID-19 on the supply chain-side, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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

- (a) & (b) :    Yes Sir. The Government has taken serious note of the impact of COVID-19 on the rural sector particularly on the agricultural supply chain. The Government vide their letter dated  02nd  April,  2020  had  issued  advisory  to  States/Union  Territories  (UTs)  to  facilitate Direct Marketing, enabling direct purchase from the farmers/ Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)/  Cooperatives  etc.  by  liberalizing  regulations  under  respective  State  Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Acts.

The Government also issued advisories to States/UTs to ensure inter-state and intrastate  movement  of  vehicles  carrying  the  agriculture  produce  in  addition  to  setting  up  of monitoring cell to keep watch and extend immediate help for seamless movement of such vehicles  including  coordination  for  issue  of  permits  to  trucks.  States  also  made  various arrangements including nomination of nodal officer for coordination and setting up monitoring cell to facilitate free movement of vehicles carrying fruits, vegetable and other essential food items.

Further,  to  address  the  transportation  issues  of  Farmers  and  other  stake  holders during Covid-19, the Government has launched the Kisan Rath Mobile App on 17.04.2020. The App facilitates the Farmers, FPOs and Traders to post their load requests which are sent to transport aggregators and individual transporters who in turn respond to the load requests.

(c) :    At present, there is no proposal to give special compensation to farmers affected due to  COVID  -19  on  the  supply  chain  side.  However,  to  help  the  farmers  during  COVID-19 period, Government has been providing assistance to farmers under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN). Under the scheme, an income support of Rs. 6000/- per year is transferred in three 4-monthly installments of Rs. 2000/- directly into the bank accounts of the eligible beneficiary farmers' families.