Push for processing industry in Punjab agri policy

The recently released draft Agriculture Policy highlights the importance of agro-processing alternatives for raising the incomes of farmers. For this purpose, it suggests enhancing Punjab Agro Industries Corporation (PAIC) plants in Abohar and Hoshiarpur. However, small and marginal farmers, who own about 35 per cent of the land, feel that these centralised plants are not feasible for them. The high cost of transporting crops to these plants makes it impractical for small-scale farmers.

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Balwinder Singh Mahalan, an expert in alternative crop farming from Ferozepur, emphasised that despite meetings with officials, no significant steps have been taken to address the challenges small farmers face in growing and selling alternative crops like chilies, tomatoes, and potatoes. He stressed the need for smaller processing units closer to the farmers’ homes, as transporting produce to distant plants is financially burdensome.

In response to these concerns, the draft policy also proposes the establishment of a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Agri-processing and Value Addition at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana. The policy aims to develop agri-entrepreneurs and create clusters for fruits, vegetables, and other alternative crops. These clusters would be supported by post-harvest handling, packaging, and cold chain systems to enhance domestic and export marketing.

Manpreet Singh Grewal, president of the PAU Kisan Club, echoed the sentiment that agro-processing could only benefit farmers if units were located closer to their farms. He suggested that government schemes like MNREGA could help establish these local units. Grewal also pointed out the lack of government efforts to educate farmers on setting up smaller infrastructure, such as silos and processing facilities.

Grewal concluded that while the government’s efforts to engage farmers were appreciated, the policy would only be meaningful if it addresses the practical needs of the farming community.