Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Marketing Board
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sanctioned with Venture Capital Assistance of o Ensuring access to and usage of quality inputs and Rs.2,174 Lakhs by the Tamil Nadu Small Farmers’ services for intensive agriculture production and Agri-business Consortium (TNSFAC) to develop agri enhancing cluster competitiveness. business activities. The major agri business projects on o Facilitating access to fair and remunerative markets Mango pulp, Floriculture, Menthol (Mint), Coconut, cold including linking of producer groups to marketing storage, Mushroom cultivation, Medicinal plants, Gherkin opportunities through market aggregators. processing, Ripening Chamber, Aloe vera gel and In accordance with the policy and process guidelines supplements, Miscellaneous fruits and vegetables, Anti of Farmer Producer Organization of Government of India, cancer drug, Tea, Coconut shell charcoal and Food the TNSFAC, has proposed to promote 9 FPOs under processing have been sanctioned with Venture Capital National Agriculture Development Programme for the year Assistance. 2014-15 with financial outlay of Rs.413 Lakhs. 3.18.1. Farmer Producer Organisation: 3.19. Agro Marketing Intelligence and Business Promotion Center (AMI&BPC) at Trichy Government of India launched a pilot programme for promoting member-based Farmer Producer Organizations The ability of farmers to sell their produce for income [FPOs] during 2011-12, in partnership with State generation will depend on good access to markets. Farmers Governments, which is being implemented through the often lack information on current market prices and not able Small Farmers’ Agribusiness Consortium. The purpose of to negotiate better deals. Disseminating price information the project is to collectivize farmers, especially small and Market intelligence advisories is necessary for producers, at various levels to foster technology penetration, increasing the bargaining power of farmers and also to improve productivity, enable improved access to inputs and make informed decisions about what to grow, when to services and increase farmers’ income, thereby harvest, to which markets produce should be sent, and strengthening their sustainable agriculture based livelihoods. whether to store it or not. In this context, as a new initiative, an institutional mechanism entitled ‘Agro Marketing The project objectives are: Intelligence and Business Promotion Centre’ was established in Trichy. Through this Centre, crop specific o Mobilising farmers into groups at the village level and Market Advisory services are rendered through text SMS building up their associations to an appropriate and Voice SMS to the staff of the Departments, 19 Lakh federating point, i.e., Farmer Producer Organisations farmers and other stakeholders who were registered under [FPOs] to plan and implement product - specific cluster / Farm Crop Management System (FCMS). Apart from commercial crop cycles. Market Advisory services, Price information on agricultural o Strengthening farmer capacity through agricultural best and horticultural commodities in different markets are also practices for enhanced productivity. disseminated daily through text SMS. 244 245 Collectivization of producers, especially small and 11. TAMIL NADU STATE AGRICULTURAL marginal farmers, into Producer Organisations has emerged MARKETING BOARD as one of the most effective pathways to address many challenges of agriculture, most importantly, improved access 1. Constitution of Board to investments, technology, inputs and markets. Government of Tamil Nadu promotes Farmer Producer Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Marketing Board was Organisations registered under the special provisions of the established by an executive order of the State Government Companies Act, 1956 as the most appropriate institutional vide G.O. Ms. No.2852, Agriculture Department, dated form to mobilize farmers and build their capacity to 24.10.1970. According to the Section 35 of "The Tamil Nadu collectively leverage their production and marketing Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act 1987", the strength. Hence, the Agro Marketing Intelligence and Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Marketing Board has been Business Promotion Centre, Trichy has been strengthened reconstituted as Statutory Board, as per G.O. Ms. No.299 to facilitate Farmer Producer Organization in each Agriculture (AM.1) Department, dated 13.06.1995. commodity along with officials of Directorate of Agricultural Marketing and Agri Business at district level. There are 1.1. Board Members 15 Farmer Producer Companies under different stages of formation in our state not only for doubling the production, As per Section 36 of "The Tamil Nadu Agricultural but also enabling them to realize the due price to triple their Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act 1987", the Board net income. consists of a President appointed by Government and of the following members, namely: 3.20. Infrastructure facilities proposed for the I. Director / Commissioner of Department of year 2014-15. Agricultural Marketing & Agri Business Establishment of transaction sheds in Regulated II. Agricultural Marketing Advisor, Government of India markets, ripening chambers for banana, integrated market III. Managing Director, Tamil Nadu State Warehousing complex for chillies, storage godowns, spices complex, cold Corporation storage facilites and strengthening of Agmark laboratories IV. Registrar of Co - operative Societies by providing scientific equipments are proposed during V. President, Tamil Nadu Co-operative Marketing 2014-15 under various schemes. Federation VI. An Officer from the Agriculture Department in the Secretariat not below the rank of Deputy Secretary to Government dealing with the subject Agricultural Marketing. VII. 21 Non-Official Members (Chairman / Special Officers of 21 Market Committees) 246 247 2. Source of Finance: Orientation Training to Market Committee Junior Assistants. The Market Committees are paying 15% contribution Refresher training to Agricultural officers of State from their revenue to the Marketing Board. Out of the Agmark Grading Laboratory. contribution received, 50% is utilized for market Refresher Training to Market Committee Secretaries development activities and the remaining 50% for Market Extension Training to Agricultural Officers & administrative expenditure of the Board which includes Assistant Agricultural Officers employees’ salary etc. Computer Training to Agricultural Officers & Assistant Agricultural Officers 3. Functions of Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Marketing Training on Food Processing & Value Addition to Board Agricultural officers & Assistant Agricultural Officers 3.1. Post Harvest technology Training to Farmers Personal Contact Training programme to Farmers Awareness on Post harvest technology, scientific storage, importance of value addition, market intelligence In the past three years, 2,238 officials were and ongoing Agricultural Marketing Schemes is created benefitted by the above mentioned trainings. among the farmers through training programme by Publicity & Propaganda wing of the Board, functioning at Chennai, During 2013, Capacity Building Training programme Coimbatore, Trichy and Madurai. The Post harvest on Market Led Agriculture and Entrepreneurship technology training programmes are conducted in the Development for Agricultural Marketing Department officials Regulated Market premises every year utilizing Market was conducted by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University Development Fund. During 2011-12 to 2013-14, about utilizing Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Marketing Board 11,960 farmers were trained. Funds. Through this training programme, 149 Agricultural Marketing officials were benefitted. 3.2. Capacity Building Training to Agricultural Marketing Officials One day Awareness cum training programme on “Food Processing technologies” was conducted at Indian The training Centre of Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Institute of Crop Processing Technology (IICPT), Thanjavur, Marketing Board, functioning at Salem is imparting training for the officials of Agricultural Marketing through Board fund. as detailed below: In total, 142 trainees were benefitted in 2013-14. Refresher training to Market Committee Supervisors & Superintendents. 3.3. Tamil Nadu Farmer’s Development and Welfare Graders training Scheme Storage Training to Agricultural officers & Market This welfare scheme is implemented from Committee staff. 02.11.1995 onwards for the welfare of the farming community. Farmers and tenants in the age group of 248 249 18 to 60 years who sell their agricultural produce of one 5. Construction works metric tonne and above, through Regulated Markets every The Engineering wing of Tamil Nadu State year will be eligible to avail the benefit of the scheme. Agricultural Marketing Board executes civil works for Farmers who are enrolled under this scheme need not pay creation of Agricultural Marketing infrastructure facilities any contribution. such as construction of Modern storage godowns, Transaction sheds, Rural Business Hubs, Market complex The Market Committee concerned will contribute with cold storage facilities, drying yards under NADP, Rs.5/- per annum for every farmer enrolled under this RIDF-NABARD, TN-IAMWARM and Part II Schemes for the scheme and the Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Marketing benefit of farmers. Board will contribute Rs.5/- per individual. 6. Domestic and Export Market Intelligence Cell (DEMIC) In case of death occurring due to an accident/death due to snake bite, the member farmer/tenant is eligible for a Domestic and