Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launches Nafed's Honey FPO Programme

New Delhi (Delhi) [India], November 26 (ANI): Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar on Thursday virtually inaugurated the Honey Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO) Programs in five states which will be set up with the help of NAFED.
The areas covered under the programme are Sundarbans in West Bengal, East Champaran in Bihar, Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, Morena in Madhya Pradesh and Bharatpur in Rajasthan, according to an official statement.
"Beekeeping in India is highly predominant in the unorganized sector comprising mainly of the rural and tribal population. Despite having a huge potential of honey production in the country, the beekeeping industry is still underdeveloped. The adoption level of beekeeping is also quite less due to various constraints like - technical, institutional, trade, seasonality, quality, operational, quality, etc" the minister said according to an official statement.
The National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED), one of our Implementing Agencies (IAs), will address these issues by acting as an intermediary and filling up the gaps between the elements of the beekeeping supply chain and also ensure price remuneration to the beekeeping farmers.
Through these Honey FPOs, NAFED will also work for the promotion of beekeeping as an occupation for unemployed women and tribal populations and uplift their livelihood".
"Government of India is promoting the creation of FPOs in view of their significant role in fulfilling the mission of implementing the agricultural reforms in the country. Promotion and Formation of FPOs is the first step for converting Krishi into Atmanirbhar Krishi. Atmanirbharata in Krishi is the strike towards the transformation of agriculture into a sustainable enterprise through FPO and will enable Indian farmers to have a global outreach, thus establishing Atmanirbhar Bharat. For this purpose, the new Central Sector Scheme for Formation & Promotion of new 10,000 FPOs is launched" the statement said
"Under the new FPO scheme, so far National Level Project Management Advisory and Fund Sanctioning Committee (N-PMAFSC) had allocated 2200 FPO clusters for 2020-21 to all Implementing agencies", the press release added.
It further said: "Implementing Agencies had also identified the block-wise clusters. FPOs will be developed by specialist 'Cluster-Based Business Organizations (CBBOs)' engaged by Implementing Agencies. NAFED had already empanelled the CBBOs and other IAs are in the process of empanelment of CBBOs."
NAFED, through its empanelled Cluster-Based Business Organisation (CBBO) Indian Society of Agribusiness Professionals (ISAP) has initiated the formation and promotion of FPOs of beekeepers and honey collectors in 5 States of India.
The areas covered under the programme are Sundarbans in West Bengal, East Champaran in Bihar, Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, Morena in Madhya Pradesh and Bharatpur in Rajasthan. The First Honey FPO, Chambal FED Shahad Utpadak Sahakari Samiti, in the state of Madhya Pradesh under National Beekeeping and Honey Mission was registered on November 11 under the Cooperatives Act." (ANI)