Working Groups for the Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-2012)

Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure and Policy required for Internal and External Trade

Dated 9th June, 2006

In pursuance of PC Division U.O. No. N-11016/4/2005-PC dated 21^st. Dec, 2005, it has been decided to set up a Working Group on Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure and Policy required for Internal and External Trade in the context of preparation of 11^th Plan (2007-12).

2. The composition of the Working Group is as under:

3. The Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Working Group will be as follows:

(A) Marketing related

1. To identify the bottlenecks in the internal agricultural trade and make recommendations for development of agricultural marketing.
2. To assess the size of agricultural markets and supply chain in different crops, and review the working of agricultural markets, whole sale mandis and commodity boards and suggest measures to improve their functioning to safeguard the interests of the farmers, especially small and marginal farmers.
3. To review the present status and the additional requirement of marketing infrastructure facilities for both domestic and export trade at terminal markets, collection centres and village hats including new grading and packaging systems, warehouses, bulk handling facilities, cold chains, reefer vans etc in the country within Government, cooperatives and private sector from farm level upwards by the end of the Eleventh Five Year Plan.
4. To assess the financial position of the agricultural produce marketing committees and agricultural marketing boards and assess the facilities provided by them and suggest improvements for efficient functioning of the marketing structures.
5. To identify the alternative forms of marketing such as direct marketing, farmers or their associations markets, contract farming, corporate entities, co-operatives etc and suggest their complementarities with existing marketing structures at collection centers, village hats, market yards, at towns and at wholesale/delivery centers in big cities for the effective functioning in the interest of all stake holders.
6. To study and review the Market Information Services and Dissemination through media and suggest appropriate measures to make these available for the benefit of farmers and consumers.
7. To review use of information technology in agricultural marketing and suggest measures to accelerate its use.
8. To review the existing programmes being implemented by the Government for development of the agricultural marketing infrastructure, the achievements made in the Tenth Plan and the modifications/ additions in the programme required during the Eleventh Five Year Plan;
9. To examine the level of professionalism in Agricultural Marketing System and recommend ways and means for skill upgradation and human resource development, identification of institutions for providing training in agriculture marketing and strengthening such institutions, including existing ones like NIAM, MANAGE etc.
10. To identify the scope for private sector investment in setting up of infrastructure and suggest the strategies/ interventions/policy shifts required by the Central and State Governments to encourage such investments.

(B) Exports related

11. To review the export performance of agricultural commodities including plantation crops and allied products, study the export potential of agricultural products, identify constraints, and suggest measures for improving quality, enhancing competitiveness and efficiency of external trade and make projections for the Eleventh Plan.
12. To evaluate the level of competition, existing regulatory environment and policy related issues for external trade, suggest policy for development of external, indicate plan support for the same keeping in view inter-alia interests of the farmers.
13. To identify gaps in infrastructure needed for export of agricultural products including specialized infrastructure for perishable products and estimate investment required for infrastructure, processing facilities and the package of incentives for infrastructure development for export promotion.
14. To make recommendations for creation of trade related data bases to cover the gap in information available to the farmers and other stake holders.

4. The Working Group may co-opt any other official/ non-official expert/ representative of any organization as member(s), if required.

5. The Working Group may examine and address issues which are important but are not specifically spelt out in the ToR. The Working Group may devise its own procedures for conducting its business including meetings.

6. The expenditure of the members on TA/DA in connection with the meetings of the Working Group will be borne by the Ministry/ Department/ State Government to which they belong. In case of non-officials, the TA/DA will be borne by the Planning Commission as admissible to the Class-I Officers of the Government of India.

7. The Working Group will submit its Interim Report by July 2006 and final one by September, 2006.

8. Shri Surinder Singh, Director (Agriculture Division), Room No. 229-C. Yojana Bhawan, New Delhi - 110001, will be the nodal officer in Planning Commission for this working group for all further communication. (Tel. No. 23096758, e-mail: surinder[at]yojana[dot]nic[dot]in).