SUBHASH MISHRA
Ranchi, Aug 3: The Sidho Kanho Agriculture and Forest Produce State Co-operative Federation Ltd (SIDHKOFED) has chalked out an ambitious plan to provide a market to Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFP) farmers of the state.
As per the plan, SIDHKOFED would provide a platform to farmers for collection, processing, storage and marketing to get real prices for their non-timber forest produce.
In this regard, a meeting of SIDHKOFED was held at Palash Bhawan Ranchi on Wednesday evening in which farmers’ forest produce-related production and business development were discussed for enhancement of their (farmers’) income.
Sanjiv Kumar, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (APCCF) Jharkhand, who is the chief executive officer (CEO) of SIDHKOFED, chaired the meeting. The participants held lengthy discussions to explore the development of business opportunities in the NTFP segment, procurement plan, marketing and remunerative prices for the farmers.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren is the chairman of SIDHKOFED.
Director, Central Tasar Training and Research Institute, (CTRTI) Ranchi, Jaiprakash Sharma,(secretary SIDHKOFED), scientists from CTRTI, representatives from Sericulture Directorate, PPOs, representative from JASCOLAMPF (Jharkhand State Co-operative Lac Marketing & Procurement Federation Ltd.) and other federations were also present at the meeting.
The CEO, SIDHKOFED, while addressing, highlighted the numerous benefits of cooperatives in engendering rural development and empowering local economies. He focused on developing a system for collection, processing, storage, value addition and providing a market for NTFP.
Dr N B Chaudhary, director of CTRTI, focused on Tasar. He described how NTFP can positively impact the lives of farmers and NTFP gatherers.
“The main agenda of the meeting was to cover a wide range of essential topics from procurement, storage and marketing of NTFPs. We discussed challenges faced by the farmers and the gatherers at the LAMPS/PACS.
The meeting also focused on technical aspects of agriculture and NTFP, including procurement and storage techniques.
The CEO outlined the way and sought out the reports on Haat mapping details and the major commodity being traded, district-wise major commodity.
This meeting ushered an important step towards partnership building, opportunities in business development, income generation across the Tasar value chain and promotion of Tasar silk demand, internally and for exports.
Multiple cropping patterns were discussed as an alternative and risk mitigation to combat the changing monsoon pattern in the state.
