FPO for Farmers Income Doubling in Tripura
Kiran Bhowmik
According to the Economic Review of Tripura, 2016-17, the economic condition of the state is basically agrarian and characterized by high rate of poverty, low per-capita income, low capital formation, inadequate infrastructural facilities, geographical isolation, communication bottleneck, inadequate exploitation, inadequate use of forest and mineral resources, low progress in industrial field and high un-employment problem. More than 42 percent of its population now directly depends on agriculture & allied activities.
It is the report that published by the officers of Directorate of Economics & Statistics Planning (Statistics) Department Government of Tripura, Agartala that the un-employment situation in the State has assumed alarming position. Total job seekers in the Employment Exchanges of the State were 6,62,756 in March 2015, which further increased to 6,93,516 in March 2016 and to 7,16,550 in March 2017. Increase in population and consequent addition to the labour force, the supply side of labour force continues to outstrips the demand resulting in rise of un-employment and under employment at an alarming rate in the State.
The demographic profile of Tripura is the population of Tripura as per Census 2011 was 36,73,917, out of which 18,74,376 males and 17,99,541 females. The data of Census-2011 shows that Tripura ranks 18th in terms of density of population at all India level. Among the north-eastern states, Tripura remained the second highest populous State after Assam.
The Department of agriculture has observed and given report that the state Tripura is primarily an agraian economy. More than 42% of population of the state now directly depends on agriculture & allied activites and its contribution to the GSDP is about 27% in 2014-15. Small and marginal farmers constitute about 96% of the total farmers in the state against 78%, that of country. Agriculture and allied activities are still the backbone of the State's economy.
The Officers of Agriculture Department, Government of Tripura said that the most of the farmers in Tripura are small and marginal producers, it is necessary to make them self-reliant in managing their plantations starting from planting and maintenance to harvesting, processing and marketing.
According to NABARD the Farmers Producer Organisation (FPO) is a legal entity formed by primary producers, viz. farmers, milk producers, fishermen, weavers, rural artisans, craftsmen. A FPO can be a producer company, a cooperative society or any other legal form which provides for sharing of profits/benefits among the members. In some forms like producer companies, institutions of primary producers can also become member of FPO.
As Tripura Farmers are characterized by large numbers of dispersed and fragmented small holding, the FPO is very relevant in Tripura for doubling farmers’ income. The state may Tripura develop when the income of farmers will increase.
Source: 1) Economic Review of Tripura, 2016-17
2) Farmer Producer Organisations - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) ,Written and Published by : Farm Sector Policy Department & Farm Sector Development Department, NABARD Head Office, Mumbai