Arunachal CM bats for timely market information to farmers

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday said farmers should be provided accurate and timely market information to enable them to make informed decisions.

In view of existing mismatch between actual demand and farm produce, Khandu urged the centre to step in to empower farmers with information on demand and price.

Handholding is required to guide them for production and marketing decisions, he said at the North East Regional Conference on Transformation of Indian Agriculture at Guwahati in Assam.

Arunachal Pradesh produces world class horticulture and agriculture crops but farmers continue to suffer due to lack of market information and are drpived of remunerative prices, he said.

Khandu, who is also the member of the high-powered committee on transformation of Indian agriculture formed by NITI Aayog, said the conference would help preparing a roadmap for improving farming and raising of farmers' income.

"The objective of the conference is to derive inputs from all the north eastern states and industry experts. After incorporating the suggestions, a report will be submitted to the high powered committee in the next meeting to be held on August 16 in Mumbai," Khandu said.

Policy makers and technocrats need to focus on sustainable and resurgent agriculture, which will be robust, productive, climate resilient and farmer oriented, he said.

"The aim is to make a policy decision on cultivation, marketing of agricultural produce, contract farming and Essential Commodities Act (ECA) in order to enhance farmers' income," he pointed out.

The committee, headed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has been holding a series of meetings across the country for preparing a roadmap for the agriculture sector.