Plan food processing units to help farmers, officials were told by CM YS Jagan

Amaravati: Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy instructed the officials to draw up an action plan for setting up food processing units by next season for perishable goods as the farmers of these crops are under distress.

During a review meeting on food processing units held here on Friday, the Chief Minister said that farmers growing tomato, sweet lemon, banana and the like are undergoing hardship on the marketing front and are not even getting MSP as the selling platforms are not matching with their produce and price.

He told the officials that to mitigate the losses of such farmers the possibilities of setting up food processing units from Rythu Bharosa Kendra (RBK) level and upwards should be explored so that farmers are not affected and the officials should identify at least seven to eight such crops.

Every year farmers growing crops like banana, onions are unable to market their produce and are suffering losses. Such situations should not repeat and the officials should draw up a plan as to how much crop should be purchased by the government and how much should be sent to the food processing units. They should also assess as to how value addition to the crops can be done, he said and asked for full details as to what they are doing on this count.

He told the officials to bring out an action plan within one month with full details and food processing should be done at RBKs wherever possible and go up to mandal and constituency levels. On humanitarian grounds, the government is extending all possible help to the farmers and till now has spent Rs 3,000 crore from the Market Stabilisation Fund to check market fluctuations and ensured MSP to farmers.

Besides food processing units, the officials should also concentrate on millet processing, he said. There should be a tie-up with big companies on food processing and no farmer should complain that they are unable to sell their produce in the coming nine months.

Agriculture minister K Kannababu, special chief secretary agriculture, Poonam Malkondaiah and other officials were present at the review meeting.