Agri-business

The minister said that under the agriculture infrastructure fund, support is extended to cold storages in agri-export clusters, at farm gate level, for small and marginal farmers as well as big businesses, APMCs/mandis to reduce post-harvest losses and increase farmers' returns.

The MoU, inked by Bangladesh’s DG Food Md Abul Hasanat Humayun Kabir and Joseph K. Sowers from US Wheat Associates, underscores a deepening partnership in food and trade.

The minister has said that strict legal action, including cancellation of licenses and registration of FIRs, should be taken against the culprits, and effective prosecution must be ensured to secure conviction.

Agroforestry, which integrates trees into farming systems, has been consistently championed by the government as a multi-faceted solution to national priorities. These include doubling farmers' income, increasing tree cover outside traditional forest areas, mitigating climate change, reducing timber imports, and ensuring sustainable land management.

The Union Minister highlighted the Government of India’s steadfast commitment to the growth of Jammu and Kashmir’s livestock and fisheries sectors as engines of rural income and nutritional security.

Formalized under the ICA-EU Financial Framework Partnership Agreement Phase 2, the MoU reflects a shared commitment to elevating smallholder farmers—especially women and youth—as stewards of agricultural transformation.

Emphasising on the extensive involvement of PACS in the food storage scheme, the Union Minister of Cooperation said that it is necessary to make PACS an integral part of this scheme so that the financial viability and social effectiveness of PACS can be ensured.

Through the KCC framework, farmers benefit from revolving credit facilities for up to five years. This flexible structure allows them to draw and repay funds as per their seasonal requirements without having to reapply for loans each season.