Orissa Assembly adopts Bill for contract firming,private market

Bhubaneswar, Apr 3 (UNI) The State Assembly today adopted the Orissa Agricultural Produce Markets (Amendment) Bill 2006 in the absence of the Opposition allowing private entrepreneurs to set up markets and introduce contract firming.

State Cooperation Minister Surama Padhi who moved the bill said the government would soon come out with a comprehensive legislation to ensure the farmers were adequately protected.

She allayed the apprehension of the treasury bench members that the bill would bring disaster for poor farmers and said such bill implemented in several other states had benefitted the farmers.

The Minister however, succumbed to the pressure of the ruling BJD members and allowed an official ammendment to exclude the common variety of paddy out of the purview of the bill.

Ms Padhi said the agriculture marketing system in Orissa was regulated by the Orissa Agricultural Produce Markets Act 1956 in which the state government was empowered to set up markets while private sectors were prohibited to do so.

But with the passing of the bill, the private sectors would now be allowed to establish market by obtaining license from the Director of Agricultural Marketing. The bill also provided the opportunity to introduce contract firming system where the crops would be grown by the farmers under a buy back agreement with an agency engaged in trading or processing of such products.

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