The Hindu Business Line : Call for regulatory body to implement farm policy

There is a need for a regulatory authority to ensure uniform and comprehensive implementation of agricultural policy across the country, according to Dr Ashok Gulati, Director in Asia, International Food Policy Research Institute.

Speaking at seminar on the ‘Role of technology in ensuring food security’, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Andhra Pradesh here last week, he said a regulator could better address the paradoxes and anomalies in the current agricultural policy implementation.

Focus on research

“For instance, many private sector players are ready to invest in post-harvesting areas such as storage facilities, but are unable to do so due to some unnecessary constraints. Further, the minimum support price for a particular crop varies from State to State,” he said.

Mr Pankaj Dwivedi, Special Chief Secretary, Andhra Pradesh Govt, said there should be more focus on agri-research for enhanced yields with less water, and to arrest soil degradation that is taking place due to indiscriminate use of pesticides and other chemicals.

Dr S.K. Datta, Deputy Director General (Crop Sciences), Indian Council for Agricultural Research, said plant breeding technologies and functional genomics should be extensively used for achieving increased crop yields.

He also desired an effective and reliable Public-Private Partnership in the areas of agricultural research.

Mr Shakti Sagar, Vice-Chairman, CII Andhra Pradesh and Managing Director, ADP Pvt. Ltd, pointed out that even with the existing technology and land and water resources, food production could be raised substantially within a short period through special efforts.

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