Modi moots global agency to market farm produces like MNCs

Ahmedabad, May 23 (UNI) Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today urged the Centre to set up a national-level agency to market agricultural PRODUCES the way Multi-National companies (MNCs) market the agricultural inputs like seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, pumps and agricultural implements.

Inaugurating a seminar on 'Value Addition, Market Reform and Agro Industrial Policy' here, Mr Modi said, ''It is not the job of State governments, not even that of several commodity-specific agencies already in the field.'' ''Since it is not an easy task,'' he said, ''only an agency backed by the federal Government could surmount formidable opposition from very big global players.'' ''It is an irony that there are a number of MNCs, besides Indian companies, to push their products in villages, but none to sell the farm produces. Moreover, farmers are perhaps the only producers who could not dictate the prices of their produces.'' ''Imagine the profits dairy farmers could derive,'' he asked, ''if some agency could market milk, something like cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni does, explaining the advantages of milk over colas as high-protein low-calorie drink?'' Mr Modi also called for India to break loose from the global crop pattern or time-table based on three seasons, and to start one Indian based on six seasons in a calendar year.

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