Amazon, Walmart, others sign Mous for farmer produce
If we make a business chain for our farmers and empower them, then the farmers will get the right environment and create employment opportunities. DEVENDRA FADNAVIS, CM
MUMBAI: Companies such as Amazon, Walmart, Reliance Retail, Big Basket, Pepsico and Tata will now source fruits, vegetables, pulses and spices directly from Maharashtra’s farmers through the community-based organisations (CBOS) and farmer producer organisations (FPOS).
To connect farmers better with end consumers, the state government on Wednesday signed 50 memoranda of understandings (Mous) with leading companies, enterprises and groups under the State of Maharashtra’s Agribusiness and Rural Transformation (SMART) initiative.
Chief minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis said facilitating a direct connection between farmers and marketers, the farmers will be able to get a better price for their produce and earn profits.
The SMART programme, which aims to develop agriculture-based business in 10,000 villages, also aims to give extra value in terms of corporate support and investment.
Fadnavis said with the help of the programme and with skill development of around 3 lakh farmers, there will be a “complete transformation in villages” in the next three years.
“After getting good produce, the next challenge is to get a good price. If we make a business chain for our farmers and empower them, then they will get the right environment and create employment opportunities. Today the profit from this business is earned by a few aggregators, but now farmers and FPOS will also be able to earn it,” Fadnavis said.
The programme will also get funds from the World Bank worth $280 million. The state government will contribute $80 million while $10 million will be contributed by Village Social Transformation Foundation (VSTF).
Junaid Ahmed, World Bank’s India director said, “Maharashtra is moving from productionbased agriculture to marketbased agriculture. Nobody should be left behind in the vikas (development) that is inevitable.”