The Cooperation Department initiated a project on “Agri Marketing Network” linking all 66 Regulated Market Committees (RMCs) of the State,4 3 Krushak Bazars, 76 Municipal markets including 800 FPOs and Women SHGs.

Odisha State Agricultural Marketing Board (OSAM Board) on behalf of the department today entered into an agreement with International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad to facilitate implementation of the project, and a Memorandum of Agreement was signed between the two organizations.

The MOA was signed in  presence of Sanjeeb Kumar Chadha, Principal Secretary Cooperation.

Among others Additional Secretary Subhra Mohanty , GM OSAM Board Dharitri Mishra , Sujay Kar, Joint CEO ORMAS . Aravazhi Selvaraj CEO & Cluster leader ICRISAT , Sangram Rout Deputy Secretary and other departmental Officers were present.

Chadha said the Fruits and Vegetables Sector in Odisha encounters many challenges which impact almost all stakeholders linked with the value chain from production at the level of farmers to marketing at the level of end consumer.

High variation in the quality of products, lack of structured and scientific processing infrastructure, lack of systematic and updated supply chain infrastructure and exploitative role by middlemen are some of the major challenges which need immediate intervention.

A sustainable solution needs to bring the critical value chain players to a single platform addressing the major issues at each level through technological interventions to benefit the small farmers.

To address these issues, ICRISAT has signed the agreement on behalf of one of its wing, the Agri-Business Incubator at International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT-ABI).

The project aims at transforming Agri-Marketing through RMCs, developing market linkages and empowering farmers through supply chain management in Odisha.

The major activities to be undertaken by the ICRISATABI, as per the clauses of the MOA include a primary survey of fresh produce markets, retail outlets and buyers in different cities, secondary research on demand assessment, study on the calendar of requirements, packaging needs and pricing etc.

The period of the project is three years.