Kerala has submitted projects worth ₹567.14 crore to the Centre for assistance under the agriculture infrastructure fund, Agriculture Minister P. Prasad has said.
At a review meeting convened by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Mr. Prasad said the State had requested Central support for the export of gandhakasala rice, vazhakkulam pineapple and nendran banana.
The State has also put forth a slew of other demands in connection with Centralised schemes.
The State reiterated its demand that curbs be imposed on the import of agricultural products such as pepper, since their re-export in the form of value-added products is hitting local farmers. Further, the State had also sought Central assistance for the establishment of a quality assessment laboratory for agricultural produce.
Credit guarantee coverage should be provided to farmer producer organisations (FPO). The NABARD loan provided to primary agricultural cooperatives at 1% should be made available to FPOs also.
The State also put forward the suggestion that units for value-added products should be provided the concession on interest given to primary agricultural product processing units.
