In a bid to double farmers’ income of the State, Birsa Agricultural University (BAU) and Department of Agriculture, Government of Jharkhand, held a meeting to provide international market for agricultural produce of the State.
BAU Vice Chancellor, Dr RS Kureel, informed that Special Secretary Department of Agriculture Pradip Hazari visited the university to discuss on the issue that how to provide better market to the farmers’ of the State.
“We have discussed on several issues. After that we have concluded that first of all we have to identify those products which can be exported from the State. We have found that there are several agricultural produce which have export
potential such as Okra from Gumla, Cucumber from Lohardaga, Cheakpeas and many more forests and horticultural products,” said Kureel.
Elaborating about the new initiative taken jointly by the University and the State Government the Vice Chancellor said that like an autonomous body of Central Government, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is providing market to the farmers’ of the Country on national level.
“We have concluded that we will create an institution which will first of all gather the produce to keep the produces in buffer stock after that with good packaging the institution will transport it to a proper market where the produce can get better price than local market,” said Kureel.
Speaking about the detail of the plan Kureel said that first of all the University will identify the produces district wise in which district which produce can be exported. “The State Government will gather the data through all its Krishi Vigyan Kendras situated in all districts of the State.
After that through the institution the produces will be gathered at a place to send them to market,” he added.
“Unless and until we will not provide the proper market to the farmers of the State then it is impossible to double income of the farmers. Agriculture has not been attracting profession because the producers are not getting produce according to their investment,” said Kureel.
