SATISH HANDA
Haryana government has finalised an agreement between State Federation of Haryana Farmers and a multinational company Cremica Food Products Ltd having manufaturing units in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to produce tomato products. Government has tied up with the company to lift 100 tons tomato everyday from collection centres at Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar, Karnal, Tosham and Nuh in Haryana state at the minimum support price fixed by the government but not less than Rs 6 each kilogram. Inderjit Singh Chief Coordinator of Federation told that often farmers are exploited by the commission agents in fruit and vegetable markets across the state and have to suffer heavy losses during season when compelled to sell tomatoes at the rate between Rs 1.50 to Rs 2 per kilogram much below than their production cost.
Sanjiv Kaushal Additional Chief Secretary Agriculture &Farmers Welfare Department Haryana told that according to agreement, farmers will have to supply tomalo crop at collection centres at their cost and need not to visit grain markets carrying produce to sell out their crop at the mercy of wholesale traders in vegetable markets. He said, Cremica will procure 100 tons tomato stocks daily as per the contract supplied by Federation from collection centre and the freight will be borne by Federation shared by state as well as government in centre. Sanjiv Kaushal said, the farmers will not suffer any financial loss and in case the price of crop slashes during season government will bear amount of price difference under Bhavantar Bharpai Yozna and amount towards cost of tomatoes will be reimbursed immediately to farmer by transferring the amount in farmers bank account at the minimum support price Rs 6 per kilogram. Inderjit Singh told that it would be responsibility of State Federation of Haryana Farmers to deliver tomato stocks at Cremica’s manufacturing plant and cost towards freight will be shared jointly by state and government in the centre.
Very few people know that village Chang at a distance of about 15 kilometers from Bhiwani in Haryana state is famous in North for cultivation of tomatoes and other vegetables since year 1964 when a grop of ten families migrated from West Pakistan in 1947 settles there and started agriculture business cultivating sugarcane and gradually shifted to vegetable production especially tomatoes. Village Chang is known in Haryana state for production of quality tomatoes being supplied to wholesale fruit and vegetable markets in adjoining states Chandigarh, Delhi, Punjab and Rajasthan. Information reveals that vegetables are being cultivated in nearly 40% area in village Chang apread across 7500 acres agriculture land developed about 766 years ago and today having population nearly 15000 from where more than 20 vehicles carrying tomatoes are loaded to different wholesale vegetable markets across the state daily.Information also reveals that new generation switching over to cultivate fruits including grape, pomegranate, muskmelon, watermelon, lemon, orange, plum, and sweet potato in 85 to 100 acres area..
