PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Ramnagar
In a good news for the farmers from Patkot village, nestled in the hills of Ramnagar, the Agricultural Produce Market Committee has decided to adopt the village. Things were confirmed after the Mandi board endorsed the proposal on Tuesday. Under the initiative, efforts will be made to provide the farmers with better market access for their produce, connect farm roads with the main road and create employment opportunities for women’s groups.
Notably, located about 29 km from Ramnagar, Patkot is predominantly an agricultural village. Due to its difficult terrain and remote location, farmers face considerable difficulties in transporting their produce to markets and so remain deprived of remunerative prices for their produce. “We lack proper market facilities and so, we, the farmers, often fail to get remunerative prices for our produce, which adds to our financial hardships,” said a farmer when informed about their village’s adoption by APMC.
The mandi committee is also planning to set up a mini mandi and an electronic weighing facility in the village. “This is expected to save farmers from travelling long distances for weighing and selling their produce. Work will also be undertaken to improve connectivity between farm roads and the main road, strengthen agricultural facilities and provide employment opportunities to women’s self-help groups,” said the committee’s secretary Sahil Ahmad, adding that providing essential facilities to the farmers in Patkot could significantly improve agricultural production in the area.
Notably, paddy, wheat, mandua (finger millet), turmeric, jackfruit and amla are produced here among other crops.
Ahmad further said that the committee officials had recently conducted surveys in three villages— Pipal Parao, Himmatpur Dodiyaal and Patkot. “During the survey, they interacted with the villagers and gathered information about farming and the problems faced by them. Following the survey, a proposal to adopt Patkot on priority was submitted to the Mandi Board, which approved it on Tuesday,” he added.
