Gujarat Agro Policy by mid-December

The Gujarat government will announce its new Agricultural Policy by the middle of December 2006 to boost the agricultural produce in the state.

SC Srivastav, managing director of Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation Ltd, said, "The state government will probably come out with the agro policy by mid of December 2006."

According to him, the Agro Policy is a major thrust area of the government to develop the state's agricultural sector.

Since the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investor's Summit 2007 is round the corner, he said the state government was likely to come out with the agro policy before the summit begins in January next.

He further said for the first time the government would implement the private-public partnership (PPP) model in the state agricultural sector. The PPP model is emphasised for the purpose of development of critical infrastructure facility in the state.

As per the policy, the government will allow the private players to participate in the development of critical infrastructure or to develop as well as maintain the infrastructure facility.

However, the modality of partnership ratio is yet to be worked out by the state government.

He said under the new agro policy, the scope for agricultural development had been widened by including the agro-based industry as it would be one of the main growth engines for the agricultural sector in the state.

Development of critical infrastructure will help boost the agro export of the state and the benefit from the development of infrastructure facility will percolate to the grassroots.