Union food processing minister Subodh Kant Sahay today pitched for contract farming and said that the APMC Act needs to be amended to encourage contract, cooperative and market-oriented farming for more productivity and food security.
"Amend the APMC (Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee) Act and introduce contract farming for accelerated productivity and food security, besides encouraging third party investments in agriculture," Sahay said.
The second wave of Green Revolution in the country is not possible without post-harvest management, he said, adding that with such investment the entire risk would be transferred to the third party proving a breather for farmers.
Farming with third party investment would also help in facilitating improved seeds, the best technology and latest water management while farmers would act as partners of investors, Sahay told the members of the Bengal National Chambers of Commerce and Industry (BNCCI) on 'Scope of Food Processing Industries : Focus West Bengal'.
When states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal were yet to realise the need of contract farming, southern states had introduced it and are reaping its benefits, he said. "I hope West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee will soon take a lead in this direction," he said.