MP's new farm policy to come up in three months

To encourage farmers to plough their profits back into the field and thereby boost the minuscule growth rate in agriculture, MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan has deployed a platoon of officials for introducing innovations in the existing agriculture policy.

The new agriculture policy, likely to be launched in three months, will focus on increasing the investment rate in agriculture, find ways to increase mark-up on farm output and attract private investment in agriculture and allied activities.

Chauhan had recently organised a 'Kisan Panchayat' at his official residence to interact with farmers. The programme received a number of complaints from peasants.

Despite state agriculture advances touching Rs 15,000 crore and huge arable land, the growth in the agri-sector was 0.9 per cent during the last decade.

"The focus will be on shifting attention on those policies that affects agriculture. The policy will seek to increase investment, ensure higher returns on farm input, and involve the private sector more intensively," said a senior government official involved in framing the new agriculture policy.

Unlike the existing system, all the government departments will work in a united manner to ensure increased returns on farm investment by exploring ways of reducing cost and improving profitability.

The policy will focus on agri processing and marketing-related activities by attracting private investment in dairy, horticulture and allied activities.

State agri output falls short of farmers' expectations each year, in the absence of the following: proper agri-extension work, technology transfer, proper field support and public-private partnership in the sector.

The farm investment in Madhya Pradesh, despite its being the soya bowl of India and third-largest producer of wheat, stands at Rs 4,000 per hectare vis-à-vis Rs 16,000 per hectare in Punjab.

"At one hand, the new agri policy will open avenues for corporate houses to make a planned investment in the sector. Also, the farmers will be able to retain their land holdings," said Agriculture Secretary Pravesh Sharma adding, "We will incorporate the outcome of Kisan Panchayat to launch the new agri policy."

In the present economy scenario, farm sector returns in Madhya Pradesh hinges mainly upon soyabean output. However, with the entry of big corporate house like Hind Lever, ITC, Cargill and Pillsbury in the state, farmers are now adopting contract farming in a crude manner in hope of higher returns.