Nabard will Extend more Support to Commodity Boards

KOCHI:
Nabard plans to set up new action plan to make commodity boards more competitive. Representatives from various commodity boards like Coffee Board, Tea Board, Spices Board, Coconut Development Board, Rubber Board, National Jute Board, Central Silk Board and Coir Board participated in the one day seminar organized at Taj Gateway hotel, Kochi. Representatives from Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) were also at the seminar. H.R. Dave, Deputy Managing Director, NABARD, inaugurated the seminar.
The issues persisting in different commodity boards and the potential areas of collaboration between the Commodity Boards and Nabard, for the purpose of integrating efforts to enhance farmers’ income were points of discussion. Commodity Boards are engaged in improving the productivity of Commodity growers and improving their market linkage. Collaboration between Commodity Boards and NABARD will help in addressing financial requirements of growers and processing units through mainstream banking institutions. This collaboration will also help in setting up of Commodity specific producer groups and their market linkage.
Most of the commodity sectors in the country are dominated by small and marginal farmers. Critical issues pertaining to production, processing, value addition, marketing, capacity building, credit access, etc. emerged during the deliberations. The role of farmers’ collectives like Farmers’ Producer Organizations (FPOs) in solving these issues was also discussed. Nabard would be launching pilot studies cum action research projects in select districts to study commodity-specific issues and facilitate possible solutions in association with various Commodity Boards.
S. Sundararajan, director Tea board, R. Ravindra, Deputy General Manager APEDA, Dr. P. Kumaresan, Central Silk board scientist, P.Anil Kumar, Joint Director, MPEDA, Dr. D.R Babu Reddy, deputy director Coffee Board, Dr. Mahadeb Datta, Assistant Director Jute Board, G.K Vidyashankar, Deputy Director Spices board, Saradindu Das, chief coconut development officer, coconut development board, R. Jnanadevan, deputy director, coconut development board, P.R. Ajith Kumar, marketing director coir board, Binni Chandi, senior scientist rubber board, T.S Raji Gain, Nabard CGM, R. Sundar, Nabard CGM, K.S.M. Lakshmi, GM, K.Usha, DGM, Dr. G.H.V. Ratna Babu, DGM, Loken Das,DGM, Mohammed Riyaz, Manager, Ashok Kumar Nair, Manager and Shyampriya R, assistant manager, attended the seminar.