Srinagar, Feb 21:A stakeholder meet cum workshop for Farmer producer organisations (FPO)promoted under central sector FPO scheme of Govt of India was held at Sagam Anantnag. The workshop was aimed at sensitizing the FPO shareholder farmers and board of directors of rice and vegetable FPOs.
Officers from Agriculture department, SKUAST and NABARD presided over the workshop. It was informed by DDM NABARD Rouf Zargar that a total of 03 FPOs have been promoted by NABARD under central sector FPO scheme in Anantnag under Mushqbudji rice, Vegetable and Honey. All the three FPO stand registered under Companies Act and each FPO has more than hundred shareholder members with share contribution ranging from 500 to 100 rupees per farmer. A matching equity grand from Govt of India has also been released to one FPO under vegetable.
The Mushqbudji FPO members requested the agriculture department to facilitate the rice mill at village level for strengthening the FPO and providing milling service to the members. The chief Agriculture Officer Sartaj Ahmad assured the farmers that department would assist in procurement of mill through FPO equity contributions and community assistance, besides all the departmental support.
The farmers raised various queries regarding the handling of operations of the FPO and business structure and dealings which were addressed by the experts from NABARD.
