Tag : Apples

Shimla (The Hawk): The first consignment of natural farming produce of Himachal’s first 100 percent Natural Farmers Producers Company(FPC) was flagged off to buyers in Delhi and for value addition at Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry (UHF), Nauni on Thursday evening.  The consignment of two vehicles carrying apples of Chopal Naturals FPC was flagged off by Shri Rakesh Kanwar, Secretary Agriculture, Himachal Pradesh. Professor Rajeshwar Singh Chandel, Vice-Chancellor, UHF Nauni, and Shri Naresh Thakur, State Project Director, Prakritik Krishi Khushal Kisan Yojna (PK3Y) were also present along with the member of the FPC. With this consignment, 225 boxes were shipped to buyers in Delhi while 150 crates were for value addition to UHF Nauni, the FPC has taken a step towards the collective marketing of their natural produce. During an interactive session with the farmers, Secretary Agriculture said that the registration of FPCs of farmers doing natural farming is a step towards achieving mutually beneficial producer-consumer linkage. However, the farmers have a tedious task ahead now to run the FPCs with a professional approach. He added that the government can support them initially, but ultimately, the farmers will have to reduce their dependence on the government and improve their capacity to make successful business models. He said that an MoU has been signed with NABARD recently, which provides for some support to FPCs during the initial years. Shri Naresh Thakur congratulated the farmers for coming together on one platform for marketing of natural produce and said the target is to have 10 such FPCs. He assured the FPCs that the State Project Implementing Unit (SPIU) will support them with logistics and technical ...