COIMBATORE: Member of NITI Aayog Ramesh Chand said new marketing norms that are inclusive of a state’s perspective should be implemented to improve agricultural marketing in India.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the 37th National Conference on Agricultural Marketing organised by the Centre for Agricultural and Rural Development Studies (CARDS) of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University on Thursday, he said states play a major role in implementing new policies in agricultural marketing.
“Development in the agricultural sector in our country for the last 10 years has been normal with a 4% growth rate. In Tamil Nadu, it is 5.5%, which is higher than the average of the country. For the sustainable development of the country’s economy, agricultural growth is a primary role. Through agricultural development, poverty can be removed. Market Research Society of India should discuss and research elaborately to improve agricultural marketing further,” he said.
“As per our system, we could not bring a rational policy across the country. As agriculture is in all three lists - the union, state, and concurrent - states have a major role in bringing new policies on agricultural marketing so that income of farmers can be improved,” he added.
V Geethalakshmi, Vice Chancellor of TNAU, said that to help the farmers to get better support prices, they are working with farmers by providing awareness on off-seasonal production methods.
Vijay Paul Sharma, Chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), agricultural scientists, and experts participated in the three-day conference.