Bharti,Future too smell riches at farm gate

THANKS to growing corporate interest in agri-business, companies like FieldFresh Foods and Pantaloon are proposing to set up direct links with rural India under a panchayati raj ministry-industry initiative. FieldFresh, a Bharti Enterprises-Rothschild joint venture which exports agri-products to Europe and the US, has submitted a proposal to the panchayati raj ministry to build direct linkages with farmers in the Hyderabad rural, Medal, Nizamabad, Rangareddy and Krishna districts of Andhra Pradesh. The company plans to not only procure Banganpally variety of mangoes at farm gate but also provide extension services to improve quality. The proposed project would cover an area of about 65,600 hectares in this region. The proposal is under consideration. Retailer Pantaloon has also proposed to establish rural business hubs for procuring farm produce directly from farmers. The pilot project would involve procuring 2,000 tonnes of tur dal, or yellow lentils, from Jalna, Jalgaon and other districts in Maharashtra and from Vasad and Unjha in Gujarat. The value of the procurement in the pilot scheme is estimated to be about Rs 5 crore. The company proposes to sign a memorandum of understanding with the panchayats of the identified areas to begin sourcing from February next year. Pantaloon further plans to set up warehouses in these areas in the next phase and offer seed inputs and provide farm extension services to farmers as well. Both these projects will be undertaken through the rural business hubs (RBH) initiative of the panchayati raj ministry and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The initiative is based on the public-privatepanchayat partnership and aims to foster and permeate economic growth into and for rural India. It has been conceptualised to synergistically link rural products, skills and produces with the marketing and professional skills of the industry. RBHs focus on agri-product processing, handicrafts and handlooms sourcing and power generation in rural India through biomass and other alternative energy sources. RURAL ROOTS Bharti’s FieldFresh Foods, Pantaloon proposing to set up direct links with rural India under a panchayati raj ministry-industry initiative Linkages involve not only procuring produce but also setting up warehouses and providing seeds and extension services to improve quality .
source:economic times