No.650/2020-2021

Aizawl, 23rd March, 2021 : Agriculture Development Board, set up under the State government's flagship programme SEDP, meeting under the chairmanship of C. Lalrinsanga, Agriculture Minister at SAD Conference Hall, MINECO, today deliberated on Draft Policy & Operational Guidelines for Collective Farming in Mizoram, and Draft Policy on Procurement of Rice through Modern Rice Mill in Mizoram.

Draft Policy and Operational Guidelines for Collective Farming in Mizoram envisages pooling of farmers land and resources to derive benefits of large-scale farming and helping small and marginal farmers overcome constraints in mobilising credit, adopting latest technologies and adding value to their produce. Under the initiative, collective farming would be encouraged by Farmers Producer Organisations/Company (FPO/FPC), which will enable small and marginal farmers of FPOs/FPCs to consolidate their holdings, without changing the ownership of land and resources to get the benefit of large scale farming.   

Draft Policy on Procurement of Rice through Modern Rice Mill in Mizoram aims at facilitating successful operation of Modern Rice Mill in the state through further institutional support measures to make its service beneficial to the paddy farmers. The meeting was informed that the first ever Modern Rice Mill at Pangbalkawn, Kolasib district is expected to be fully operational by mid-2021. This Mill is having a capacity of 5 MT/hour and is expected to produce 13,455 quintals of rice per month.

The Board meeting, attended by its Vice Chairman H. Biakzaua MLA, and its members, discussed at length the two draft policies and made various suggestions to improve the draft policies.