Karnataka announces package of Rs 150 cr for pomegranate, grape in Budget
Sat Feb 09 2019
The Government of Karnataka has
announced a slew of support efforts to the horticulture sector, including a
special package of Rs 150 crore to improve the economic conditions of
pomegranate and grape growers.
Chief minister H D Kumaraswamy,
in his Budget 2019-20, said that the focus on horticultural products would also
include a grant of Rs 20 crore to establish international standard mango
produce processing units in Ramanagara and Dharwad districts, and tomato
produce processing units in Kolar district with private partnership.
The government has also allocated
a grant of Rs 2 crore for post-harvest management of horticultural produce and
market encouragement-related activities under the private partnership model.
There is also a grant of Rs 5 crore to encourage bee farming. Besides, a
special package of Rs 6 crore has also been announced for the benefit of
gherkin growers and to increase export turnover.
Under the state’s cooperation
programme, it has envisaged fair prices for farm produce. The Raitha Kanaja
Scheme, with a revolving fund, will provide minimum support prices (MSPs) to 12
notified farm products. It will open a permanent collection centre throughout
the year in all Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) markets with a
provisional grant of Rs 510 crore.
It has set aside Rs 50 crore
grant for the implementation of the Price Deficiency Payment Scheme for tomato,
onion and potato (TOP) produce. It will also encourage the production of minor millets in the state. It
has announced a grant of Rs 10 crore for providing profitable prices to six
minor millets and formulation of marketing facilities in HOPCOMS (Horticultural
Producers’ Cooperative Marketing and Processing Society), Nandini and other
outlets.
It also said that there is grant
made to the tune of Rs 160 crore for the establishment of quality analysis and
processing units at Gadag, Haveri, Kundgol, Hubballi and Annigeri.
Further, a grant of Rs 5 crore
for the establishment of 500 land operations co-operative societies in
cooperative sector was made. An allocation of Rs 5 crore to purchase 500
automated milk storage machines for milk producers’ co-operative societies is
also announced.
In order to enable good marketing
practices, the government has made provisions to supply smart weighing machine
systems to all 162 APMCs and change 18,000 market functionaries to the new
system. It has also ensured the establishment of integrated scientific
vegetable waste management units in five vegetable markets of the state at a
cost of Rs 10 crore. Besides, there is also a reservation of 10 per cent and
rebate of 50 per cent in the allotment of sites, godowns, shops,
shops-cum-godowns in the APMCs to farmer-producer organisations (FPOs).
Source: http://www.fnbnews.com/