World Bank to assist market yards modernisation in five states

Hyderabad, May 2 (UNI) The World Bank will provide assistance to five states for diversification of marketing channels and modernisation of market yards in the country with private sector participation.

Informing this to reporters here today, World Bank project team leader Robert Epworth said the ''Multi-State Agricultural Competitive Project'' (MACP) would be implemented in Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu from September this year.

He said the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) would be encouraged to invest in the ''agrimarts'' under the project, which would provide improved market access to farmers through enhanced knowledge and effective producer organisation. The National Institute of Agriculture Marketing, Jaipur, would be the nodal agency for the project.

Marketing Minister M Mareppa said market yards under the purview of 308 Agricultural Market Committees would be modernised under the project to eliminate middlemen and ensure remunerative prices mainly to small, marginal and tenant farmers for their produce by increasing efficiency and reducing costs in the marketing chain.

SMEs would be encouraged to set up agro-processing units to ensure value-addition to farm products, he added.

The State had submitted a proposal for modernisation of the market yards at a cost of Rs 125 to 150 crore, Agriculture and Cooperation Department Principal Secretary G Sudhir said.

The project covered faster agri-business development, expanding market information, improving regulatory framework, strengthening supply chains, market extension systems and piloting risk management mechanism.

UNI