Sahai bats for contract farming to enhance food processing

“West Bengal, dominated by small and marginal farmers, can give a lead in the entire eastern region, more so because Pepsi’s contract farming in potato in the state has proved to be a big success despite political reservation about it in certain quarters,” he said, adding, I do not want to bring the government into it.

The minister felt even existing industries could promote contract farming and, in fact, they should do it. “I have requested the Steel Authority of India Ltd and Coal India Ltd to adopt three to four districts each and go for contract farming” he said. To promote food processing, he felt, Central or state level planning would not be enough as more important would be to have district level, even block level, planning.