A crucial bipartite meeting between Forward Bloc, which had opposed entry of organised retailers in farm products, and CPI(M) on September 28 of this month is likely to decide the fate of German wholesale giant, Metro Cash & Carry in Kolkata.
"A bipartite meeting would be convened on 28th September between Forward Block leaders to discuss issues related to Metro Cash & Carry," said Naren De, agriculture minister of West Bengal, on the sidelines of a press conference to announce "Second green revolution summit and expo" in Kolkata this month end.
On being asked the reason for the cancellation of the license after renewing it twice, the minister said, "The work for which the license had been granted was not done, for whatsoever reason and that triggered the cancellation."
A team of Metro officials would meet De tomorrow to discuss the matter. De also pointed out that “compared to the national average, West Bengal's agricultural production rate had not fallen much.” De added, “While the national growth rate of agricultural production was around 1.09 per cent, West Bengal's growth rate was 2.25 per cent, which the government would strive to scale up to four percent by the eleventh five year plan.”
The growth rate of agricultural production was close to 5.8 percent during the 1980s and 1990s but it had considerably dropped in recent times, admitted the minister.
The expo will take place between 24th to 26th September. Around nine states, which includes, Kerala, Haryana, Gujarat, Punjab, Mizoram, Jharkhand, Assam, Nagaland, Uttar Pradesh, would be participating in the summit.
Chief ministers of six states, besides other dignitaries would be present on the occasion. The aim would be to ensure that small and marginal farmers produce greater output with the help of modern technology and increased usage of chemicals and fertilisers, the minister said.