Annual Report 2009-2010 - Department of Agriculture & Co-operation

Annual Report 2009-2010
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data using a comprehensive national level
database at the AGMARKNET Portal (http://
agmarknet.nic.in). Wholesale prices and arrival
information in respect of more than 300
commodities and 2,000 varieties are being
disseminated through the portal on a daily basis.
More than 3,000 markets have been linked to
the Central AGMARKNET Portal and more than
1,900 markets reported data during the month
of January 2010. The movement of weekly and
monthly prices and arrivals are also being
disseminated using the portal. In addition to
price, several other market related information
is provided through the portal. These relate to
accepted standards and grades, labelling,
sanitary and phytosanitary requirements,
physical infrastructure for storage and
warehousing, marketing laws, fees payable, etc.
Efforts are on to prepare a National Atlas on
agricultural markets on a GIS platform that would
indicate the availability of the entire marketing
infrastructure in the country. Similarly, commodity
profiles are being loaded onto the portal.
Commodities already covered include, rice,
wheat, Bengal gram, black gram, red gram,
mustard/rapeseed, groundnut, soyabean,
sunflower, sesame, green gram, potato, maize,
cotton, and jowar. Similarly, 12 manuals on post
harvest profiles of different commodities have
been uploaded on the AGMARKNET portal.
10.28 The portal also has linkages with various
organisations concerned with agricultural
marketing. Besides spot prices, the portal also
provides access to future prices, MSP and
international commodity prices. Further, it
provides information about schemes of the DMI,
weather information, e-directories of markets,
CODEX standards, etc. The portal is constantly
being enriched. Prices and arrival information are
being disseminated in nine languages. The
database developed under AGMARKNET is also
serving various Commodity Directorates of the
Department of Agriculture and Cooperation by
providing customised hyperlinks to data
pertaining to specific commodities.
10.29 Construction of Rural Godowns: It is well
known that small farmers do not have the
economic strength to retain produce with them
till market prices are favourable. There has been
a felt need in the country to provide the farming
community with facilities for scientific storage
so that wastage and deterioration of produce is
avoided, and also to enable it to meet its credit
requirement without being compelled to sell
produce at a time when prices are low. A network
of rural godowns will enable small farmers to
enhance their holding capacity in order to sell
their produce at remunerative prices and avoid
distress sales.
10.30 Accordingly, the DAC has launched the
Grameen Bhandaran Yojana with effect from 1
April 2004 The main objectives of the scheme
include the creation of scientific storage
capacities with allied facilities in rural areas to
meet the requirements of farmers for storing
farm produce, agricultural inputs, etc., and the
prevention of distress sales by creating the
facility of pledge loans and marketing credit.
10.31 Initially, the scheme was approved for
two years, i.e., 2001-2003. As there was a huge
response to the scheme, it was extended up to
30 September 2004. Beyond this date, the
scheme had been approved for continuation up
to 31 March 2007, with some modifications.
Under the pre-revised scheme, a back-ended
subsidy at the rate of 25 per cent of the capital
cost of the project has been provided. In the case
of the North Eastern States, hilly areas and SC/
ST entrepreneurs, a subsidy has been provided
at the rate of 33.33 per cent of the capital cost
of the project. The scheme is extended for the
Eleventh Plan, and under the revised scheme,
with effect from 26 June 2008, a subsidy at the
rate of 25 per cent will be given to all categories
of farmers, agriculture graduates, cooperatives,
and CWC/SWCs. All other categories of