The State government has taken up the construction of godowns and cold storages to ensure safety to agriculture and horticulture produce grown by farmers across the State, Minister for Horticulture and Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Shamnur Shivshankarappa has said.
Speaking after inaugurating 6,800-metric tonnes capacity godown at the APMC constructed under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana here on Friday, he said that for all these years the State government used to store agriculture and horticulture produce at private godowns by paying rent every month.
But due to lack of maintenance and other technical reasons, farmers used incur loss and get less profit.
Keeping this in view, the State government has taken up construction of godowns of 2,000 to 5,000 metric tonne capacity in different districts of the State.
The State government would pay 80 per cent of the cost of these godowns and the remaining 20 per cent would be borne by APMCs in respective districts.
“The scientifically constructed godowns would play a crucial role in protecting the interests of farmers during price variation in the market. Based on the receipts provided by these APMC godowns, the farmers would be able to obtain loans of up to Rs. 2 lakh,” he added.
Concrete roads
Steps would also be taken to construct concrete roads on APMC premises. District link roads would also be developed along with the main road of the APMC.
Farmers in the district should make use of the facilities provided at the APMC, he said.
APMC president Raghavendra Naik said that the 6,800 metric tonne capacity godown had been constructed by spending Rs. 5.85 crore.
