Farmers should enhance their role in marketing of agricultural products: Dhankhar

New Delhi: Stressing the need to boost farmers’ involvement in the trade and export of agricultural goods, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar underscored that farmers should enhance their role in value addition and the marketing of agricultural products. Underlining the importance of modern technology and the formation of the Farmer Producer Organization (FPO), he said that farmers should not hesitate to adopt them.

Dhankhar felicitated the progressive farmers from Haryana by calling them to the Parliament House as he had promised and had lunch with them. It may be noted that on the 8th of October, 2023, Dhankhar had visited Hisar in Haryana, where he inaugurated the Krishi Vikas Mela at Chaudhary Charan Singh Agricultural University. While addressing the farmers in Hisar, he had invited them to Delhi to visit the new Parliament building.

Acting on his words, today more than fifty award-winning farmers from Haryana visited the Parliament House today. The Vice President interacted with the farmers and honoured them with certificates and shawls. It is noteworthy that these farmers were awarded by the Haryana Government for their excellent performance by using innovative technologies in various fields like agriculture, horticulture, dairy and fisheries.

Addressing the farmers, the Vice-President described them as the backbone of the country’s economy and said that being a farmer is a matter of pride.

Underlining the importance of agriculture in our economy, he said, “When the farmer is happy, it brings happiness to the whole country & all sections of the society enjoy prosperity!”

Expressing delight at the visit of the farmers in the Parliament House, he remarked, “Today is a special day as the parliamentarians from around the world & from the G-20 nations are in our country. Your visit to the Parliament coincides with this momentous day. This Parliament stands as the largest Panchayat in the country, and today, the rightful individuals have gathered here. Discussions regarding farmers & farming should take center stage in this forum.”

Expressing his happiness over the Prime Minister introducing him in the Rajya Sabha as ‘Kisan Putra’, the Vice President said that he has been diligently visiting the institutions which are related to farmers’ welfare.”

Congratulating the farmers on receiving awards from the Government of Haryana, he said that they are a source of inspiration for others and people should emulate them.

The Vice-President also highlighted that there is a huge trade ^ business opportunity in agricultural products and food items, and today’s youth educated from IIT, IIM are also coming into this area. He appealed that farmers and farmers’ sons and daughters should also come forward in this. Citing the example of milk, Dhankhar said, “There are many milk products that can be made, but farmers are not producing them. Why? Why don’t farmers form a group and sell products like buttermilk, curd, cheese. More products can be added subsequently, and branding can be done with the name of the village.”