Agriculture leadership award 2010 conferred to Himachal

Posted by Himachal Live News in Farming, Musings, News on September 23rd, 2010 | one response | 65 views

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh has been adjudged best agriculture performing state in the country and will be conferred upon the prestigious state Agriculture Leadership Award 2010 for its outstanding policy initiatives and performance in agriculture development. The Award would be presented on 29th September, 2010 during the Agriculture Leadership Summit at New Delhi, a spokesman of the state government said here today.

He said the award was finalised by the National Awards Committee headed by Dr. AR Kidwai, former Governor of Haryana with Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, eminent agricultures scientist as one of its members.

He said the committee was highly appreciative of the outstanding policy initiatives and performance of Himachal Pradesh government in the field of agriculture and allied sectors, which were positively impacting the lives of vast majority of farmers and ushering rural prosperity.

The Agriculture Leadership Awards were instituted by ‘Agriculture Today’, a national agriculture magazine in the year 2008 for recognizing excellence and leadership roles played by individuals and organizations towards the development of Indian agriculture and bringing about rural prosperity. The Leadership Award for agriculture development was given to Gujarat in 2009 and to Andhra Pradesh in 2008.

Tenzin

Kudos to Himachal and people involved in it, the farmer and concerned departments. However, so much still needs to be done.

One criticism I have of HP govt is that it has little or no initiative in helping farmers/horticulturists sell their produce.
If current apple season is any indicator, gross mismanagement saw many farms not even covering their cost of bringing it to market.

Namely,
1) Shortage of trucks saw truckers charging 50% – 100% over the government fixed prices

2) Heavy rains and ill prepared PWD saw roads were in bad conditions, making it more difficult to get trucks reach in interior locations

3) Non availability of empty apple cartons saw prices shoot on average from Rs 35-38 band to Rs 55-60. Empty trays still are unavailable.

4) Bulk of produce reaching the market in narrow time frame of August 5-25 saw prices crashing to Rs 250

5) Transparency issue lies in Mandis such as Delhi and Chandigarh where now Aartis might not be charging commission but reduce the final sale figure by taking their cut and not showing it on paper.

HP government has to seriously address these issues through marketing cooperative societies within Himachal and fix failures as to why Narkanda and Shimla is not picking up as point of sale.

The government needs to provide new apple varieties which helps in redistributing the time of crop harvesting more uniformly. e.g Spur varieties

The government needs stricter control and real time management of truck supply from its control centers by enforcing threats of canceling permits on overcharging above mandated rates.

I am sure there are many other different ways with which this could be handled. Suggestions welcome.

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