“Agriculture often suffers from varietal constraints. Oranges in Nagpur and mangoes in Malihabad in UP are instances where though there are gluts at harvest time, processing has not taken off due to want of processable varieties,” the policy document said. In context the policy document suggested various steps to augment the sector.
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i. Changes in state laws for regulated markets for allowing private sector participation.
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ii. Contract farming.
iii. Private sector participation in agricultural extension services.
iv. Procurement of farmers produces by large food retailers or markets.
v. Improving post-harvest management, cleaning, grading, packaging and storage.
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vi. Existing cold storage facility caters to less than 10% of the produces. It is mainly for potatoes and is rudimentary in nature. Hence there is a need for expanding cold storage facility for other perishable produces.
vii. Most of the limited controlled atmosphere storage facilities, technologies, protocols and machineries are imported. There is, therefore a need to upgrade manufacturing capabilities.
viii. Upgradation of research labs.
ix. Removal of conditionalities and caps on financing.
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x. Warehousing receipts should be made negotiable instruments also there should be a system of accreditation of warehouses.
xi. Commodity markets should be stable and future markets more deepened. Banks, mutual funds and FIIs should be allowed in future trading and derivatives.
xii. Liberal funding from RIDF for infrastructure development for food processing sector. State should participate in joint ventures for infrastructure development.
xiii. R & D on ethnic foods.
xiv. Apex research institute should be set up to address R & D problems for the sector.
xv. Norms relating to Codex, HACCP, GMP and GHP should be met.
xvi. Integrated food law and liberal labour laws.