The President of India has promulgated two Ordinances with the aim of giving a boost to rural India for farmers engaged in agriculture and allied services.

The development came after the government’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ to boost the income of farmers.

The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Ordinance 2020 and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance 2020 have been promulgated by the President with the aim of giving boost to rural India for farmers in agriculture and allied activities.

“The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Ordinance 2020 will provide for the creation of an ecosystem where the farmers and traders enjoy the freedom of choice relating to sale and purchase of farmers’ produce which facilitates remunerative prices through competitive alternative trading channels. It will promote efficient, transparent and barrier-free inter-State and intra-State trade and commerce of farmers’ produce outside the physical premises of markets or deemed markets notified under various State agricultural produce market legislations. Besides, the Ordinance will provide a facilitative framework for electronic trading and matters connected therewith or incidental thereto,” the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare said.

“The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance 2020 will provide for a national framework on farming agreements that protects and empowers farmers to engage with agri-business firms, processors, wholesalers, exporters or large retailers for farm services and sale of future farming produce at a mutually agreed remunerative price framework in a fair and transparent manner and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto,” it added.

The Minister for Agriculture, Narendra Singh Tomar today wrote to all the Chief Ministers informing them of the Ordinances and solicited their cooperation in the implementation of the reforms. He stressed the need for their continued support in the development and growth of the agriculture sector in the new reformed environment.