Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Farooq Khan, today visited Lethpora and inaugurated Pampore Saffron Farmer’s Producer Company Limited under Farmer’s Producer Organization scheme being implemented by NABARD.The objective of the scheme is to provide small and marginal farmers "better collective strength for better access to quality input, technology, credit and better marketing access through economies of scale for better realization of income".Advisor said the Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) have been launched to facilitate small and marginal farmers with access to improved technology, credit, better input and more markets to incentivize them to produce better quality commodities.“Formation and promotion of FPOs is the first step for converting Krishi into "Atma Nirbhar Krishi", which will enhance cost effective production and productivity and higher net incomes to the member of the FPO. The move would also help improve rural economy and create job opportunities for rural youths in villages itself,” the Advisor maintained.
Advisor said that FPOs will be provided financial assistance up to Rs 18 lakh per FPO for a period of 3 years. Besides, provision has been made for matching equity grant up to Rs 2,000 per farmer member of FPO with a limit of Rs 15 lakh per FPO and a credit guarantee facility up to Rs 2 crore of project loan per FPO from eligible lending institutions to ensure institutional credit accessibility to FPOs, he added.He said that the FPOs will be developed in produce clusters wherein agricultural and horticultural produces are cultivated, for leveraging economies of scale and improving market access for members.He asserted that we endeavor to build a prosperous and sustainable agriculture sector by promoting and supporting member-owned Producer Organizations that enable farmers to enhance productivity through efficient, cost-effective and sustainable resource use and realize higher returns for their produce through collective action supported by the government and fruitful collaboration with academia, research agencies, civil society and the private sector.Among others the event was attended by Director Agriculture Kashmir, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Awantipora, DGM NABARD and other concerned officers besides large number of progressive farmers.