The Hindu Business Line : Steps to streamline pepper procurement in Kerala

A MEETING held under the leadership of the Kerala Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy, has decided to take several steps to ensure that procurement of pepper by the State Government is an efficient and streamlined process.

According to an official press release, the Kerala State Co-operative Marketing Federation (Marketfed), the agency that will carry out the procurement process, will be given financial assistance by the State Cooperative Bank.

Besides Marketfed, other cooperative organisation can also be involved in the procurement process, the release adds. In order to identify these organisations, a four-member committee under the leadership of the District Collector will be set up in each district, the press release states.

Under the scheme drawn up by the Government, only small and medium farmers with up to 2 hectares of land are eligible to participate in the procurement process.

In order to ensure this, the Department of Agriculture will identify all eligible farmers and issue certificates to them, the release says.

The Chief Minister has directed the Agriculture Department to start this process immediately, it adds.

Pepper will be procured at Rs 75 per kilogram, while a handling charge of Rs 1 per kilogram will be paid to Marketfed or its nominees to cover the procurement expenses, the release says.

Measures will also be taken to ensure that the pepper procured through this process does not enter the domestic market before the expiry of three months, the release adds.

The Kerala Agriculture Minister, Ms K.R. Gouri Amma, senior officials of Marketfed and the State Co-operative Bank and other Government officers participated in the meeting.

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