Odisha Govt Brings Two Ordinances to Facilitate Multiple Marketing Channels Through Contract Farming Amid COVID-19 Lockdown

Bhubaneswar, May 23: Following the footsteps of Uttar Pradesh, Odisha government on Friday brought in two ordinances that would facilitate and allow the operation of multiple marketing channels through contract farming. Under the new Odisha Agricultural Produce and Livestock Contract Farming and Services (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020, comprehensive reforms have been made in the existing agricultural marketing laws.

As per the new OLPACFS, Odisha government is aiming for the registration of farmers with contract farming companies. With this, the state government is hoping to improve production and productivity by management of seeds, saplings, fingerlings, inputs, feed, land and other services. Among the major outcome of the the ordinances includes sale and purchase of 50 varieties of plant produce. Also, purchase and sale of five of animal produce are also included. BJP President JP Nadda Welcomes Agriculture Reforms Announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Apart from this, the Odisha government will also constitute a committee called the Contract Farming and Services (Promotion and Facilitation) Committee in order to review the performance of contract farming in the state. This committee will give suggestions to the state government on ways for promotion of contract farming activities.

Earlier in May, similar ordinance were promulgated by states like Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Karnataka, which had aimed to give some relaxations to regulatory aspects of their agricultural produce market committee laws. It is to be known that agriculture marketing is regulated by APMCs of respective states, which further regulate the sale of such produce and collection of market fees.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 23, 2020 11:18 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).