Ensure to open Agri Mart in every block of the state: Dr Manish Ranjan, Secretary Rural Development Department

Ranchi: Secretary Rural Development Department Manish Ranjan congratulated the women farmers of the Farmer Producer Organization for achieving the target of Rs 100 crore business. Describing this achievement as a ‘silent revolution’ he encouraged women not to stop there and aim to take the business to Rs 200 and then to Rs 500 crores in the coming years. He gave suggestions to grow the business keeping in mind the potential new market, networking, PDS dealership and customer demand.

He was speaking at the State Level One Day Workshop on Progress, Learning and Coordination of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) under the Johar Project organized by Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS) at Project Bhawan Auditorium.

He stressed the farmers present on the occasion to give preference to poultry, fisheries, etc in addition to traditional farming. Apart from this, he directed to ensure that the convergence programs run by the government reach the farmers, opening of Agri marts in each block and taking the custom hiring center on a large scale. Apart from this, increasing production by adopting new techniques like weather forecasting, soil testing, as well as giving a new dimension to the business by paying special attention to packaging pricing. 

Addressing the workshop, Suraj Kumar, CEO, JSLPS, congratulating the members of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) from 17 districts of the state on their turnover of Rs 100 crores, gave suggestions on their capacity building, marketing of the products, etc. CEO JSLPS stressed upon the successful farmer producer organizations to move forward with a cluster approach.

Along with this, he shared his views on fulfilling the target set by the Central Government to form 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations. On this occasion, CEO JSLPS, while praising the work done by the women of the group during the Covid period, inspired them to adopt activities like animal husbandry, fisheries, and forest produce in addition to traditional farming to increase their income.

20 Producer Organizations formed under the Johar Project have done a business of Rs 100 crores so far. Farmers are being provided agricultural machinery, purchase and sale of agricultural materials and other agricultural-related services by these producer organizations run by rural women. Under the Johar project, 20 producer organizations have recently set a new example by doing
a business of 100 crores. The FPO was felicitated with a memento and certificate for this success.

During this, women associated with FPOs shared their experiences and challenges. 27 Agri Marts are being operated by producer
organizations across the state, through which high-quality agricultural inputs like fertilizers, seeds, etc are being made available to the farmers.