Orissa Agriculture Minister proposes technological reforms to help farmers

BHUBANESWAR - Orissa Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout has proposed the setting up of an e-market, which would help farmers in getting the right price for their produce.

Rout said the officials had decided on marketing reforms to enable a barrier-free national market for their produce.

“Various agendas were discussed regarding e-trading, regarding improving scientific marketable agriculture produce. How to market, preserve and market perishable products and produces. Similarly, to provide money to all farmers, farmers should be given information by electronic media or mobile information,” he said, while speaking at an agriculture meet here on Thursday.

The farmers, however, said the would not be of any help, like the minimum support price, because other government programmes instituted for their welfare had not help them in any way.

“In the meeting, officials assured that new technologies such as mobile and Internet will be of benefit to the farmers. But that is absolutely wrong. If in all areas of the state, the facilities of market are not made and information through mobile and Internet is given, then it will not lessen the problems of the farmers,” said Lingaraj Pradhan, a farmer.

The meeting was attended by Agriculture Ministers of ten States, who recommended that there be a regulatory authority for attracting private investors. (ANI)