Chief Minister Pema Khandu on August 2nd, 2019 pitched for farmers to be provided with accurate and timely market information, saying this will enable them to make informed decisions about what to grow.

Speaking during the daylong North East Regional Conference on Transformation of Indian Agriculture here, Khandu said, “Arunachal produces world-class horticulture and agriculture crops, but due to lack of proper market information on demand and price, there is always a mismatch between farm produce and the actual demand.”

Expressing alarm that a huge gap exists between actual market demand and production, Chief Minister urged the Union Commerce Ministry to step in to empower farmers to make informed decisions. He said, “Handholding is required in a professional way to guide the farmers in their production and marketing decisions.”

Khandu who is also the member of the High-Powered Committee on Transformation of Indian Agriculture formed by NITI Aayog said the focus of the conference was to gather valuable inputs and suggestions for preparing a roadmap for Transformation of Indian Agriculture in the next few years.

Khandu said a time has come when all the policymakers and technocrats need to focus on sustainable and resurgent Agriculture, which is robust, productive, climate-resilient and pro-farmer oriented.

The daylong conference organised by Government of Arunachal Pradesh in association with TERI and FICCI was also attended by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, FICCI NE Regional Advisory Council Chairman Ranjit Borthakur, TERI NE Regional Director Dipankar Saharia, APEDA AGM Sunita Rai and others. Apart from a host of dignitaries, agri-experts, industry experts, officers of Agri & allied departments of Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh also attended the conference.

Guwahati | First Published: Aug 02, 2019