Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan interacted with farmers at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) at Narayangaon Taluka in Pune, Maharashtra, today on the sixth day of Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan.
Earlier in the day, the Union Minister visited Narayangaon Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) and Tomato Market, local farm fields and a cold storage facility along with agricultural scientists, where he interacted with local farmers growing tomatoes and other farm products.
Shri Chouhan felicitated agriculture entrepreneurs at KVK Narayangaon. Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister Shri Chouhan urged Agriculture Department scientists to go to the fields and interact with farmers to understand their problems.
Underscoring the aims of Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan, he stated that a Viksit Bharat cannot be brought about without development in the agriculture sector and prosperity of farmers. Hence, the agricultural sector has to be developed.
The Union Minister stated that there are 16,000 agriculture scientists in the country who are working towards the development of the sector. The scientists cannot just work in laboratories, while farmers toil in the fields.
Hence, scientists and farmers have to interact for benefits of the sector, added the Minister. Speaking about the correct and balanced use of pesticides and fertilizers, Union Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister said that the Government is also moving towards legislating a strict law by which stringent action will be taken against any company or person who is caught making fake fertilizers or pesticides and supplying those to farmers.
Shri Chouhan also provided information about the new Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) for TOP crops (Tomato, Onion, Potato). The Union Minister said that if farmers producing potato, onion and tomato go to another state where they are getting higher price for their produce as compared to their area, then in such a situation the Central Government will bear the operational cost of transportation.
The MIS is undertaken upon request from State or Union Territory Governments to ensure remunerative prices to farmers and also soften the prices of TOP crops for consumers in the market. Shri Chouhan further said that a lot of work is happening in the agriculture sector and farmers have made many innovations.
Productivity has increased, different varieties of farm products have been developed and exports are also surging, he stated. Shri Chauhan also said that the farmers of Maharashtra are progressive and they have done research on their own and have ensured modernisation in ways of farming.
He expressed happiness about grapes and bananas being exported from the State. The Union Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister said that climate change is a concern for the agriculture sector and urged all stakeholders to think about how the agriculture sector may progress in the face of climate change.
He said that farmers need timely advice from scientists on how to save their produces from hazards like high temperature, unseasonal rains and others and proper use of fertilizers and pesticides. The scientists may guide the farmers as per the needs of their fields and produces, he added.
Shri Chauhan also directed the scientists to develop varieties of tomatoes and grapes with longer shelf life and to do research in the direction of processing. Shri Chouhan also stated that area-wise farm road map will be prepared and both the Centre and the State government will together work for the progress of agriculture and farmers.
During the interaction, the farmers highlighted their concerns to the Union Minister and provided their views on MSP, loss of farm produce due to unseasonal rains, effect of climate change on farming, getting farm equipment and seeds on time, better cold storage facilities, availability on agri-processing centres and other matters of importance.
The dignitaries present on the occasion included Agriculture Minister, State Government of Maharashtra, Shri Manikrao Kokate, MP Shri Amol Kolhe, MLA Shri Sharad Sonavane, Additional Secretary (Farmers Welfare/Digital Agriculture/CEO (PM-KISAN) Shri Franklin L. Khobung, Chairman of ICAR-KVK Narayangaon Krishiratna Anil G. Meher, ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute (ATARI) Director Dr. S.K. Roy, Deputy Director General (Horticultural Science) Dr S.K. Singh, Commissioner (Agriculture) in Government of Maharashtra Shri Suraj Mandhare along with agriculture scientists and farmers.