The central government has set up a high-level committee to review the functioning of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) in Tamil Nadu and suggest steps to improve their scale and reach, stated the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare in a press release.
The move follows the intervention of Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who took note of the difficulties faced by FPOs during his recent visit to Erode. During the visit, farmers and stakeholders highlighted several operational, technical and market-related challenges. The minister directed officials to take prompt action based on these concerns through a detailed and ground-level assessment.
Acting on these inputs, the ministry approved the formation of the committee to study the performance of FPOs in the state and recommend suitable corrective measures.
The committee includes representatives from NABARD, NAFED, SFAC–Tamil Nadu, the ICAR–National Research Centre for Banana, FPO representatives, non-government organisations, and officials from the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. The wide representation is aimed at ensuring a practical and field-based review.
The panel will examine key issues affecting FPOs, including governance and management, business operations and long-term viability, access to technical support, aggregation and marketing challenges, value addition, and the need for training and hand-holding support.
It will also suggest measures to strengthen FPOs through better business models, improved technical guidance, stronger coordination between institutions, and enhanced market linkages and promotional efforts. Special attention will be given to crops and farming systems important to Tamil Nadu, such as banana, turmeric, coconut, tapioca, and natural and organic farming.
As part of its work, the committee will conduct field visits and hold consultations with FPOs, member farmers, buyers, processors and other stakeholders. It will also gather inputs from central and state government departments, ICAR institutes, commodity boards, private companies and other relevant bodies to ensure its recommendations reflect ground realities.
The committee has been asked to submit its final report to the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare within two months. The ICAR–National Research Centre for Banana in Tiruchirappalli, along with Krishi Vigyan Kendras through ICAR–ATARI, Hyderabad, will act as the host institutions and provide logistical and secretarial support.
The initiative highlights the central government’s focus on farmers and its efforts to build strong, self-reliant and sustainable FPOs to improve farm incomes, encourage value addition and strengthen market access in Tamil Nadu’s agriculture sector.
