MoAC unveils commercial agriculture policy

MoAC unveils commercial agriculture policy
eKantipur.com, 25-Jul-2007

The Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives (MoAC) on Wednesday unveiled a policy focusing on commercialization of agriculture sector for the fiscal year 2007/08.

Under the policy, MoAC has planned for a long-term lease of government-owned barren land to landless people for the purpose of commercial and co-operative farming.

The MoAC is also launching parwar (pointed gourd) farming in eleven districts, potato farming in 20 districts along with the programs targeted to uplift under-privileged groups in the terai.

“We have put commercialization of agriculture in top priority while formulating current fiscal year's policy,” said Dr Hari Dahal, spokesperson at MoAC, talking to the Post on Wednesday. "We are also continuing One Village One Product (OVOP) program this year for the commercialization of fruits and fish varieties like trout. The ministry has allocated Rs 30 million this year for OVOP program.

The government is also encouraging commercial farming of herbs, cooperative animal husbandry in 22 districts inhabited by backward people including the emancipated Kamaiyas, along with off-season vegetable farming inside green house to generate income among underprivileged classes, states the policy paper of MoAC.

The policy also has incorporated programs of lending goats in additional 38 districts to provide opportunity to poor farmers in goat rearing, and operating fisheries through women's groups along the highway in Kailali and Kanchanpur districts.

The ministry has also framed a policy to expand tea cultivation in other districts of the eastern region under the program of intensifying high-valued crops and off-season agricultural produce while programs will be initiated to extend coffee cultivation in additional districts of western hilly region.

Under the policy, the ministry has allocated Rs 37.9 million to provide subsidy in chemical fertilizers and seeds in 26 districts whereas the limit of subsidized loan has been hiked to Rs 15,000 from existing Rs 10,000.

To promote export of organic agricultural produces, government has laid a provision to issue internationally recognized certified demand paper.

Much to the relief of sugarcane producing farmers, government is forming Sugarcane and Sugar Board with the representation of farmers and sugar mill representatives and to conduct research to increase productivity.

In a bid to replace mounting imports, the MoAC is initiating the policy of expanding onion farming in additional 2,400 hectares of land in Saptari, Siraha, Sarlahi, Bara, Dhanusha and Rupandehi districts.