The first consignment of natural farming produce of Himachal’s first 100 percent Natural Farmers Producers Company(FPC) was flagged off to buyers in Delhi and for value addition at Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry (UHF), Nauni on Thursday evening.
The consignment of two vehicles carrying apples of Chopal Naturals FPC was flagged off by Shri Rakesh Kanwar, Secretary Agriculture, Himachal Pradesh. Professor Rajeshwar Singh Chandel, Vice-Chancellor, UHF Nauni, and Shri Naresh Thakur, State Project Director, Prakritik Krishi Khushal Kisan Yojna (PK3Y) were also present along with the member of the FPC. With this consignment, 225 boxes were shipped to buyers in Delhi while 150 crates were for value addition to UHF Nauni, the FPC has taken a step towards the collective marketing of their natural produce.
During an interactive session with the farmers, Secretary Agriculture said that the registration of FPCs of farmers doing natural farming is a step towards achieving mutually beneficial producer-consumer linkage. However, the farmers have a tedious task ahead now to run the FPCs with a professional approach. He added that the government can support them initially, but ultimately, the farmers will have to reduce their dependence on the government and improve their capacity to make successful business models. He said that an MoU has been signed with NABARD recently, which provides for some support to FPCs during the initial years.
Shri Naresh Thakur congratulated the farmers for coming together on one platform for marketing of natural produce and said the target is to have 10 such FPCs. He assured the FPCs that the State Project Implementing Unit (SPIU) will support them with logistics and technical know-how, to begin with. He said it was a step towards the transformation of farmers into businessmen. He said if the farmers can provide private land the collection centers for natural produce could be worked out.
Professor Rajeshwar Singh Chandel said that the university was open to providing all technical assistance to the farmers-led producer organizations. He said that the university’s Department of Food Science and Technology is helping to process the low-grade apples brought by Chopal Naturals FPC into juices and other value-added products. Professor Chandel said that the university will work towards developing a range of products from apples and other fruits for the FPC using the technologies already developed by the university. He also assured the newly established FPC of Solan and Pachhad of all the technical guidance to the farmers to make their venture successful.
Earlier, Dr. Devina Vaidya, HOD Department of Food Science and Technology talked about the various technologies which could be utilized to provide a varied product range to the FPC. Vinod Mehta, Chairman of Chopal Naturals FPC said that the company will target getting more farmers engaged in natural farming as members from different regions, and move into different fruits and vegetables so that the buyers could be provided with natural produce throughout the year. The processed apple juice was also unveiled on the occasion. The FPC is targeting to release jams and juices in the market in September.
Dr. Sanjeev Chauhan, Director Research, Dr. Divender Gupta, Director Extension Education, Dr. Manish Sharma, Dean Collge of Horticulture, Dr. CL Thakur, Dean Forestry, members of the newly established natural farming FPC of Solan and Pachhad, Project Directors and Deputy Project Directors of ATMA, SPIU team and member of the FPCs were present on the occasion. The farmers also visited the processing plant of the university where the juice is being processed.
