Cultivation begins under Vegetable Initiative for Urban Clusters
Parliamentary Consultative Committee of Agriculture Ministry Meets


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 Shri 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, Shri Pawar said. He said that the process of creating post harvest management and market infrastructure facilities is on.

Shri 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, Shri Pawar added. Against total allocation of Rs. 300 crore, Rs. 208 crore have been released, he further said.

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

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