Agriculture being the backbone of the second highest populated country in the world, the Government of India has been working to double the income of the farmers of the country by bringing them under various schemes. The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi has given special importance to the development of Northeast including its farmers, bringing them under different schemes such as MOVCD- NER (Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North East Region), MIDH (Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, KVKY (Krishi Vikas Kalyan Yojana) and so on. In order to increase farmers’ income, the central government has launched a scheme called “Formation & Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Produce Organizations (FPOs) in order to empower small scale farmers and make them self-reliant. Even in Tripura, FPOS and FPCS (Farmer Producer Company) are now being formed involving hundreds of farmers in each. A Farmer Interest Group (FIG) is formed with a group of farmers and clustering these FIGS, an FPC is formed. FPCs help farmers sell their agro produce and access the markets without the need of mediators. FPOs basically function under MOVCD-NER or MIDH scheme.
Longtarai Valley Agro Producer Company Limited, a Farmer Producer Company with a business turnover of Rs. 18.38021 lakh (in 2021-22) and Rs. 35.29567 lakh (in 2022-23) is already setting a benchmark. This FPC is located at East Nalicherra, Ambassa and was established in March 10, 2021 under the Companies Act, 2013 and rules 18 of the companies (incorporation) rules, 2014 with the help of Department of Horticulture & Soil Conservation, Government of Tripura. This FPC consists of 54 FIGS, 1002 FIG members and 342 share holder farmers of Durga Chowmuni Block of Bilaschara Gram Panchayat, Setrai VC, Ambassa block of Bagmara VC, Kachimchara VC, Balaram VC, Pachimnalichara VC and Lalchari VC. The FPC has exported 4th Consignment of Jackfruits to UK, Dubai and Germany, has supplied Queen and Kew variety of pineapples to Delhi, Bhubaneswar and Kolkata. It has also sold pineapples, jackfruits and lemons at various places in Tripura such as Ambassa, Kamalpur, Santirbazar, Salema and Agartala.
The administrative support was provided by Department of Horticulture & Soil Conservation, Government of Tripura for formation and promotion of FPO under MIDH programme in Tripura. BASIX Krishi Samruddi Limited (BKSL) is working as Resource Institution (RI) for mobilization and promotion of FPO through Small Farmers Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC), where SFAC is appointed as an implementing agency for the whole program. “About 200 families have benefited under the FPC so far”; informed CEO of Longtarai Valley Agro Producer Company Ltd. Swapan Shil.
When asked about the process as to how the company works with the farmers, the Company CEO said, the farmers under the Company are given necessary support to identify crops relevant to their context, provided access to modern technology through community-based processes and their capacities will be strengthened. Furthermore, they are facilitated to access linkages with regard to technology for enhanced productivity, value addition of feasible products and market tie-ups. Farmers are organized into small neighbourhood groups which would be supported under the programme to form associations or organizations relevant to their context including confederating them into FPC/FPO for improved input and output market access as well as negotiating power. The farmers involved with the Company are presently producing lemon, pineapples, Areca nut, bananas, jackfruits, vegetable and other agro produces. Other FPCs making remarkable progress are Hillstop Horti Produce Company Ltd. at Kumarghat of Unakoti district and Krishisanjoga Agro Producer Company Ltd. at Sonamura of Sepahijala district.