Date:03/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/03/stories/2007050303400600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

World Bank farm project for Andhra Pradesh

Special Correspondent

To develop competitive marketing systems for farmers

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh, along with four other States, has been selected for World Bank-aided Multi-State Agricultural Competitiveness Project (MACP) to develop competitive marketing systems and improved market access to farmers.

The Centre has proposed this project for those States, which have amended the existing, market Acts. Andhra Pradesh has already brought amendments to the Markets Act, 2005, and hence, it has been selected for the project.

Andhra Pradesh Government gave its consent to participate in the project by issuing an order on May 1. Rajasthan, Orissa, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are the other selected States.

A six-member World Bank delegation, led by Robert Epwort, along with officials of the National Institute of Agricultural Marketing headed by its Director-General Anurag Bhatnagar held discussions with the officials of the marketing, agriculture, and horticulture. Marketing Minister M. Mareppa, Marketing Commissioner Dasari Srinivasulu, Horticulture Commissioner Madusudan Rao and Principal Secretary (Marketing) G. Sudhir attended.

Talking to reporters later, Mr. Mareppa said the objective of MACP was to increase the efficiency and reduce costs in marketing chain to the benefit of producers and consumers. It also aims at increasing small and medium entrepreneurial investments in agriculture and more effective use of public funds to extension and applied research and investment schemes.

The project would enable the Government to overcome the existing constraints of poor access of farmers to markets due more regulatory framework, inadequate market infrastructure and basic facilities in the markets and weak technical capacity of entrepreneurs. Mr. Robert Epwort said that the idea was to empower the farmers by providing more options in the market place