AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYMENT TRENDS (2008-2020)
is promoted by Mother-dairy in Delhi. Some FPOS are arranging trucks to move raw fruits and vegetables to supply the processing industry. However, processing units are not able to pay immediately. Hence, there is a need for short term loans with zero interest to FPOS on
liberal terms, so that they can pay farmers without waiting for payment from the buyer. Further, transport and other
logistics can be subsidised for weaker FPOS promoted by small and marginal farmers, so that they can jump into food
logistics during these hard times. The share of fresh fruits and vegetables sold to food processing industry needs to be increased. This will not only reduce the supply-demand gap across seasons but also curtail imports from China. The FPOS can also meet the needs of online food retailers like Big Basket and Reliance Fresh through unleashing the potential of contract farming Act. FPOS should adopt online-technology platforms to expand alternate channels like Fpo-consumer, Fpo-wholesale-tech platform and Fposretail chain. The FPOS may use the wide network of existing women-shgs in collecting, grading, sorting and primary processing like making ghee, pickles, dehydrated onion powder, retailing etc. FPOS can exploit synergies by running input shops, door delivery, and provide farm advisory through Whatsapp and other mobile applications. In this way, this crisis can be altered to an opportunity for local development.
ENGAGING RETURN MIGRANTS IN BUILDING VILLAGES
According to the census report, there are about 15 crore urban workers in the country, of which around three crore have now returned to their native villages. On the commencement of monsoon season, many of these unemployed workers can be engaged in agriculture. However, the agricultural sector doesn’t have the capacity to absorb this additional labour.