Frequently Asked Questions in Krishi Vigyan Kendras
Marketing
- What are the major constraints towards the expansion of diversified agriculture?
Inability to expand market outside the State for our fresh products and the lack of available and reliable transportation for all agricultural products.
- Why can we not market our fresh products outside of the State?
In the fresh products agriculture pests that destroy crops. Foreign markets prohibit the entry of our fresh produce into their markets due to these pests.
- What has to be done with our fresh produce so that it can be marketed outside of the State?
All fresh produce has to undergo quarantine treatment for these pests.
- What pest quarantine treatment do we have available for our fresh products? Presently, we have three approved quarantine for fruit flies. The vapor heat treatment for papaya, cold treatment for star fruit and irradiation for papaya and star fruit.
- How long does it take to develop a pest quarantine treatment?
It takes five to six years.
- Why do we need to be concerned with the quality and appearance of our fresh fruit?
Quality and appearance are very important in marketing. Competitive edge against fresh fruits produced in other places is QUALITY. Irradiation is the only approved fruit fly quarantine treatment available for us at the present time that allows us to maintain the QUALITY and appearance of our fresh fruits while they are being sold in the market.
- Can we not use vapor heat treatment to treat all our fresh fruits?
Vapor heat treatment is approved as a fruit fly quarantine treatment only for papaya. The use of vapor heat treatment as fruit fly quarantine treatment for other tropical fruits has not yet been approved by the Agriculture Pests and Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
- Why do we have to sell our fresh produce outside of the State?
We have a very limited market within the State. With the closure of sugar plantations, we have to create job-producing activities utilizing the ample former sugarcane lands that are currently available. Farmers will not plant if there are no markets for their products.
- How to avail pledge loan from banks for rural godowns?
Farmers keeping their produce in a go down shall be eligible to avail pledge loans from the banks as per the R.B.I guidelines. The pledge loan is available up to 75% of the value of the produce pledged subject to a ceiling of Rs.5 lakes per borrower, repayable within 12 months. There is a provision of refinance on pledge loans by NABARD @ 8.5% but only to cooperative banks.
- What steps are being taken to facilitate the growers in marketing of their produce?
In order to support the farmer under agribusiness development and diversification project, market information services will provided and awareness about marketing will be created among farmers under the following functions.
- Grading of agricultural and livestock commodities for export.
- Agriculture commodities research to lay down national grades and standard of agricultural and livestock commodities for export and
Marketing intelligence services.
- Varieties suitable for export in banana.
Robusta, Grand nine(G 9), Dwarf banana
- Varieties suitable for export in mango?
Alphonsa, banganapalli, Malgoa
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