Lok Sabha Question No. 287 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-19
Subject: Distress Sale due to Lack of Storage
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Malook Nagar

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

## LOK  SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 287 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 19 TH   NOVEMBER, 2019

## DISTRESS SALE DUE TO LACK OF STORAGE

## 287. SHRI MALOOK NAGAR:

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

(a) whether  farmers  are  compelled  to  resort  to  distress  sale  due  to  absence  of  proper storage facilities;

(b) the  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  for  making  adequate  arrangements  of godowns for farmers' produce as the Government aims to doubling the income of farmers; and

(c) the steps being taken by the Government to make arrangements for transportation of milk, vegetables etc. to the cities and other remote areas?

## 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  Government  of  India  provides support and assistance for promoting agriculture marketing. Further, the price of agricultural produce is dependent on variety of factors at any given point of time like demand and supply of the produce, climatic conditions, perishable nature of produce and availability of transport. The quality parameters also play an important role in the price of a commodity. The price of agricultural produce is usually low immediately after its harvest due to increased supply in the market, which gradually picks up thereafter.

The Government is promoting scientific storage facilities for the farmers in the country to improve the holding capacity through the scheme of 'Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI)',  which  is  a  sub-scheme  of  Integrated  Scheme  for  Agricultural  Marketing  (ISAM). Assistance under the AMI Scheme is available to Individual farmers, Group of farmers/growers, registered Farmer Produce Organizations (FPOs) etc.

Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of  Horticulture  (MIDH)  provides  assistance  for development  of  post  harvest  management  and  marketing  infrastructure  such  as  cold storages, ripening chamber, pack houses, reefer vehicles to farmers to improve marketability of their produce.

In  order  to  develop  the  marketing infrastructure including storages and cold storage etc., the Government is implementing Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana-Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied Sector Rejuvenation (RKVY-RAFTAAR) Scheme.

(c): There are various government schemes under which assistance is available for reefer transportation facilities to help farmers carry their produce including milk and vegetables to the cities and other remote areas. Some of the schemes under which assistance is available are as under:

(i) Assistance  for  reefer  van  is  available  under  the  scheme  of  Mission  for  Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH).

(ii) Under National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD), marketing infrastructure for preserving/maintaining quality of milk i.e. insulated/refrigerated tanks/vans, deep freezers are provided.

(iii) Under Dairy Entrepreneurship Development Scheme (DEDS), assistance is provided for  the  activities  such  as  enhancement  of  milk  production,  preservation,  transportation, processing and marketing of milk.

(iv) Under Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI), sub scheme of Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing (ISAM), mobile infrastructure for post-harvest operations including grading, packaging, quality testing, reefer vans etc. are permissible for assistance.

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