Ramanathapuram
Collective farming, an innovative programme aimed at integrating small and marginal farmers and enhance their farm productivity and income, has gained momentum in the district with more than 15,000 farmers becoming part of ‘Farmers Interest Groups’ (FIG) and Farmers Producers Groups (FPG).
After the government had unveiled the programme in the budget proposals for the year 2017-18, the department of agriculture and horticulture had helped farmers to form 495 FIGs each comprising 20 farmers and 99 FPGs, each comprising 5 FIGs during 2017-18. During this year, the departments have formed 265 FIGs and 53 FPGs.
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In all, 15,200 small and marginal farmers became members of 152 FPGs. The 99 FPGs formed during 2017-18 had purchased 660 different types of farm implements with the total corpus of ₹4.95 crore, officials said. Under the programme, the government provided a corpus of ₹ 5 lakh each to the FPGs, officials said.
As these groups were eligible to get financial assistance of ₹ 5 lakh each from banks, the groups started approaching the nationalised banks for buying more farm implements, they said. Farmers in these groups earned additional income by renting out the implements, they said.
Presently, farmers in the groups were making collective purchase of inputs, seeds and fertilisers at 20% to 25% reduced rates, they said. In the next phase, they would be educated and encouraged to integrate their small land holdings for collective farming, the officials said.
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At least 10 FPGs or 1,000 farmers have to join hands to form a Farmers Producers Organisation (FPO), they said adding, three FPOs have so far been formed in the district – two for producing and promoting minor millets and one for producing ‘Ramnad Mundu’, the native popular chilli variety.
Meanwhile, farmers kept their fingers crossed as the north east monsoon had been playing truant. The farmers had broadcast paddy in 1.17 lakh hectares of rain fed areas and the 80 to 90 days crops “are in starving condition,” officials said.
Nearly 80% of the paddy crops could be saved if it rains in the next couple of days, they said.