The State government has decided to set up laboratories to assess the quality of the crops produced by farmers and enable them to obtain better prices from markets across the country.
The laboratories would be set up in public private partnership mode and the Government had decided to rope in reputed private firms in the sector as technology and services providers. The laboratories would initially be set up at agriculture markets in Warangal, Nizamabad, K. Samudram, Khammam, Malakpet in the city, Mahabubnagar and Suryapet with seed funding from the government.
Under e-NAM
These laboratories would certify the quality of the farm produce arriving at the market so that farmers could obtain remunerative prices to their produce, Agriculture Department Secretary C. Parthasarathi said. Setting up of these labs comes under e-NAM, a pan-India electronic trading portal, being put in place in the interests of farmers and the Government would invest in the infrastructure and equipment needed for the laboratories.
Mr. Parthasarathi said the initiative was part of the wide ranging reforms proposed by the Centre to enable farmers compete nationally for their products.
The department was simultaneously working out modalities for introducing e-transactions across the spectrum to reduce human interface.
No human involvement
These reforms were aimed at ensuring that the entire transactions right from the entry of the produce into the market yard are made electronically. “As the farmer brings his produce into the market, quality testing would be done through the labs and the product would be bar coded in accordance with its quality. Permits for storage and warehousing will be issued electronically.
Steps will be taken to display information about the prices offered for similar variety in different markets across the country so that farmers can negotiate for selling his crop for better prices,” he said.