Baseline Survey to Assess the Supply Chain for Vegetables Completed in 29 Cities

Cultivation begins under Vegetable Initiative for Urban Clusters

Parliamentary Consultative Committee of Agriculture Ministry Meets

NEW DELHI (PIB) --- Baseline survey to assess the supply chain for vegetables has been completed in 29 identified cities under vegetable initiative for urban clusters and cultivation of vegetable has commenced in almost all the States.

Addressing the Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to his Ministry here today Pawar, Minister of Agriculture and Food Processing Industries said, vegetable cultivation has commenced in about 10,000 hectares under the scheme in the country. This includes 9950 hectares area under open pollinated and hybrid vegetables and 16 hectares under green house and shadnet house, Pawar said. He said that the process of creating post harvest management and market infrastructure facilities is on.

 Sharad Pawar said, the survey work has yielded valuable information on the quantum of vegetables being sold, the existing and projected demand and intermediaries involved in the supply chain in each city. He said, the outcome of survey will form the basis for planning developmental measures under the scheme for addressing the gaps in the supply chain.

The Minister informed the MPs that the scheme has been successful in mobilizing farmers into Farmer Interest Groups (FIG) and Farmer Producer Organizations alongwith their tie-up with market aggregators and financial institutions. About 3000 FIGs have been formed by mobilizing 62000 farmers, Pawar added. Against total allocation of Rs. 300 crore, Rs. 208 crore has been released, he further said.

Harish Rawat, Minister of State for Agriculture was also present in the meeting.

MPs who participated in the meeting are:  A Ganeshamurthi, Sharief-ud-din Sharif, Dhruva Narayana Rangaswamy, K Sugumar, K.P. Dhanpalan, Sardar Sher Singh Ghubaya Govind Chander Naskar, Kunvarjibhai Bavalia and Smt. Santosh Chowdhary of Lok Sabha and Ms. Mabel Rebello, Vikram Verma, Smt. Renubala Pradhan, Dr. K.P. Ramalingam, T.M. Selvaganapathi of Rajaya Sabha.