Promotion of micro irrigation will allow small farmers to reap benefits, says K Suresh Kumar of Tamilnadu Foodgrains Marketing Yard

The adoption of micro-irrigation systems (drip and sprinkler) can help small and marginal farmers to earn handsomely and will also allow them to reap all benefits which were available only to big farmers. K Suresh Kumar, executive director of Tamilnadu Foodgrains Marketing Yard (TFMY) shared this during an exclusive interview.

 

How would Contract Farming prove helpful to farmers ?

K Suresh Kumar: Basically farmers are bound to get organized in contract farming. This will lead to formation of natural clusters among themselves. Empowered as a group they will have a good bargaining strength in their supply chains; great access to banking finance and crop protection insurance; and possible inroads into Research Institutes to obtain the expertise in the crop production. Professionalism will set into agricultural practice.

This apart, having resolved the problems of marketing; and to some extent the post harvest management; in the contract farming, they can focuss their full attention on crop productivity which is one of the lowest among the average world records and; which is the only solution for their viability and feasible farming.

What kind of assistance Tamilnadu Foodgrains Marketing Yard provides to farmers ?

K Suresh Kumar: We provide a solid platform for the entire post harvest management, like :

- Scientific Storages

- Low temperature Cold Storages

- Cleaning of grains in removing foreign matters, immatured and infested grains

- Protection for the grains through sophisticated packaging solutions

- Agri Business ICT

- Auction Centre

- Food Analytical Lab

Besides, we are also into the initiatives of non chemical jaggery preparations and less water consuming millet crop promotion.

What measures should Central government adopt to make drought-proof agriculture in India?

K Suresh Kumar: The Central government should seriously put their mind and focus all their efforts towards NATURAL FARMING. They need to launch it as a NATIONAL LEVEL MISSION giving top most priority in their Agenda. This is not only the solution for drought but also for normal and flooding conditions too.

Recently, the Tamil Nadu Government launched projects to upgrade horticulture output in the state as part of an India-Israel joint venture. Please throw some light on the same.

K Suresh Kumar: A nursery for fruits & vegetables in an outlay of Rs 10.18 crore and for cut flowers for Rs 8.80 crore and to upgrade infrastructural facilities in 56 state owned horticultural farms to produce quality seeds using modern technology are the salient features of the projects recently launched by Tamilnadu Government to upgrade horticulture in the state. This initiative will definitely pave the way to the number one position in horticulture of our country. We welcome similar measures on upgradation of pulses & oil seeds production also.

In a bid to promote micro-irrigation among farmers in the state, Jayalalitha government has announced 100% subsidy for small and marginal farmers. What do you think, will the move be able to popularise the concept of micro irrigation among farmers?

K Suresh Kumar: Definitely the move will popularize the micro irrigation concept among small and marginal farmers since they are going to reap all the benefits which were available only for big farmers who could afford for drip and sprinkler irrigation.

How is natural farming advantageous than organic farming ?

K Suresh Kumar: In organic farming agricultural practices are almost the same as conventional farming. The major difference is only non chemical inputs. But natural farming is totally a different practice which generates all its input in the field itself and requires very less man power – the major boon of our Indian agriculture facing serious threat of high input cost and shortage of labour.

In your opinion, what kind of initiative should the government take to promote India's food grain exports?

K Suresh Kumar: The government should identify all time surplus crops and make a list. They should bring world class technology to add value for the surplus crops promoting agro processing units. Incentives can be given to boost the exports of value added agro products – which will ultimately strengthen our industry and the farming activities realizing more money value.

What are the key priorities of TFMY ?

K Suresh Kumar: On pulses & oil seeds, which are in short supply and are being imported in huge volumes, TFMY wants to promote all import substitutional measures – developing high yield nutritive varieties, establishing infrastructural to minimize post harvest losses, to organize the crop production among farmers professionally.

On surplus crops like paddy and spices we would like to develop more value addition catering to the need of the consumer and promote the Trade Internationally.

Please share your roadmap for the current fiscal (2012-13).

K Suresh Kumar: Having established the post harvest infrastructure in around 30 acres we are now in the process of making network with organizations like :

- National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD)

- National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC)

- Tamilnadu Agricultural University (TNAU)

- Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology (IICPT), Thanjavur