Itanagar: In a major boost to the state’s agriculture sector, the Arunachal Pradesh Agriculture Marketing Board (APAMB) inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with RC Roy associate, a seasoned exporter of ginger from India, for sale of 5000 MT ginger worth 35 crore. The MoU was signed here on Thursday in presence of state Agriculture Minister Gabriel D Wangsu, an official communiqué informed on Friday.
APAMB chief executive officer Okit Palling informed that the exporter wishes to buy 5000 metric tonne of fresh ginger from Arunachal Pradesh through the Board and advance payments up to 30 percent of the value of ginger, fixed at Rs 20 per kg as on date, to the farmers, self help groups SHGs) and farmers producer organizations (FPOs) through the board.
“The final rate payable to the farmers shall be determined on the basis of prevailing rate during actual procurement at farm gate. As per last year’s rate, the amount payable to farmers would be about Rs 30 crore, which is one of the biggest quantum agreed under single MoU for a single product in the history of agriculture marketing in the state, Palling said.
The minister urged the buyer to sell and to promote the variety available with the farmers of the state and not to encourage farmers to grow non-native varieties, as the varieties available with the farmers are superior in taste and aroma or pungency.
State Agriculture Production Commissioner Vivek Pandey said that the quantum agreed in the MoU is huge for Arunachal Pradesh, and hence, both the exporter and Board must ensure that farmers get the right price and also the exporter is assured of good quantity.
He further informed that agriculture marketing is demand driven and sometimes the price may shoot up and also crumble down, by citing the example of the price drop of pumpkin in Uttar Pradesh, wherein farmers were selling pumpkins at Rs 0.50 per kg, as the season for other crops were catching up.
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