Guv-backed Farm Plan proposes cess on produce

CHANDIGARH: After the miserable failure of the much-hyped initiatives on contract farming and diversification, top experts in the field of agriculture, cooperatives and ecology have prepared a detailed action plan for a holistic approach to the entire issue of crop diversification.
The action plan proposes setting up a Punjab rural commission with the vicechancellor of PAU, chief executive officers
of different agencies engaged in contract farming and diversification ventures, heads of departments like agriculture, horticulture, cooperative and environment besides ground water experts, agriculture economists and practising farmers recommended by PAU, as members.
The entire diversification and contract farming ventures would be supervised by the commission which will be allocated adequate funds. For this purpose, the action plan also recommends a cess of 0.5 per cent ad valorem on the marketed produce which would go into a technology fund.
"In case the government is unwilling to levy the cess, then it should create such fund from budgetary allocation or from rural development fund,"the plan, an advance copy of which was gleaned by TOI, said.
Top sources in the government said the plan has not only got strong backing from governor SF Rodrigues, but in fact includes many of his suggestions as well. Rodrigues has been keenly studying the problems afflicting the agri sector and the action plan signifies his determination to do something tangible.
FICCI experts have also been roped in for the plan which aims to bring 25 lakh acres under diversification by 2010.
Former PAU V-C GS Kalkat has vetted the plan thoroughly while a senior officer in the cooperative dept has also played a key role.
Significantly, the plan addresses a major factor behind the diversification drive’s failure: absence of an assured market for new crops. It recommends making Markfed the sole agency for procurement of oilseeds and pulses at MSP.
A Rs 100 cr price stabilisation fund at Markfed’s disposal to use in case of an adverse market scenario is factored in.
Kalkat, speaking to TNN, said the plan would also help farmers progress to EUREPGAP standards enabling farmers to
prize open the western markets which willopne as a result of WTO pact.
Experts said the plan was the first major initiative at aligning various agencies of the government and experts to
achieve the objective of diversification instead of leaving it to one or two corporations of the government as is the case currently. Sources said Kalkat, PAU vice-chancellor AS Aulakh, director, agriculture BS Sidhu and other experts would soon be meeting Rodrigues once they fine tune the plan.