Agartala: Tripura Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath on Thursday said the state government is focusing on increasing agricultural production and expanding exports to ensure better returns for farmers.
Nath made the remarks after flagging off a consignment of 3 metric tonnes (MT) of organic paddy varieties — Kaalikhasa and Harinarayan, to Kolkata from Agartala Railway Station. Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma, was also present at the event.
The consignment has been exported by Sublime Gourmet Private Limited with the participation of two farmer producer companies (FPCs) — Bosong Group of Tulasikhar in Khowai district and Thansa Farmers Organisation from Gomati district.
According to the minister, the state government has been encouraging the formation of FPCs to bring farmers together and help them secure better prices for their produce.
He said the shipment comprised 2.5 MT of Kaalikhasa and 0.5 MT of Harinarayan paddy, both traditional aromatic varieties cultivated organically in the state.
Nath said the initiative would help promote Tripura’s indigenous paddy varieties in markets outside the state and create improved income opportunities for cultivators.
He added that the government’s broader objective is to enhance agricultural productivity and improve farmers’ earnings through better market access and organised marketing channels.
The minister said these varieties usually sell at around Rs 55 per kilogram in the market, but through FPC-led marketing, farmers involved in the initiative were able to sell their produce at about Rs 70 per kilogram.
He said the government is supporting such initiatives to ensure that cultivators receive better prices and benefit from value addition and wider market reach.
The state government aims to further expand agricultural production and exports in the coming years to strengthen the rural economy and improve farmers’ income, Nath added.