ITANAGAR, 5 Sep: A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the Arunachal Pradesh Agriculture Marketing Board (APAMB) and RC Roy Associate – a seasoned exporter of ginger from India – in the presence of Agriculture & Allied Departments Minister Gabriel Denwang Wangsu at the civil secretariat here on Thursday.
Wangsu urged the buyer to “sell and promote the varieties available with the farmers of the state and not encourage the farmers to grow non-native varieties, for the varieties available with the state’s farmers are superior in taste and have unique aroma or pungency.”
Horticulture Secretary Koj Rinya spoke about the importance of agriculture marketing for farmers. She highlighted ginger production in the state and expressed hope for successful implementation of the MoU, “so that it may be further extended to other crops.”
Agriculture Commissioner Bidol Tayeng spoke on “marketing bottlenecks in the state,” and expressed concern over the sudden price inflation of ginger.
Tayeng highlighted the Centre’s initiative in the form of the Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2017 to streamline the marketing of agriculture & allied sectors’ products by amalgamating various agencies responsible for the task.
He commended the state government for enacting the Arunachal Pradesh Agriculture Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2017 (Act No 10 of 2018), under which the present APAMB was constituted.
Agriculture Production Commissioner Vivek Pandey said that “the quantum agreed in the MoU is huge for Arunachal Pradesh; hence, both the exporter and the board must ensure that the farmers get the right price, and that the exporter is assured of good quantity.”
Wangsu’s adviser Talem Taboh expressed hope that more such initiatives will be undertaken in the state for the welfare of the farmers.
Earlier, explaining the terms and conditions of the MoU, APAMB Chief Executive Officer Okit Palling informed that “the exporter wishes to buy 50,00,000 kgs of fresh ginger from Arunachal Pradesh through the board, and advance payment of up to 30% of the value of ginger (fixed at Rs 20/kg as on date) to the farmers, SHGs, FPOs through APAMB.”
The final rate payable to the farmers shall be determined on the basis of the prevailing rate during actual procurement at the farm gate. As per last year’s rate, the amount payable to the farmers would be about Rs 30 crores, and this is one of the biggest quantum agreed under a single MoU for a single product in the history of agriculture marketing in Arunachal, said the CEO.
Agriculture Director Dani Yube, Horticulture Director N Lobsang, and Agriculture Marketing Director Debia Neeckom were also present, along with officials of the agriculture and allied departments, at the MoU signing ceremony.
