To strengthen Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in Tamil Nadu, a high-level Committee has been formed to review their functioning and recommend ways to improve the scale & reach. The initiative follows the intervention of Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who took note of the issuesfaced by FPOs during his recent visit to Erode, Tamil Nadu and directed timely action to address the issues through a comprehensive and field-oriented assessment.

The decision follows the recent visit of Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan to Erode, during which operational, technical and market-related challenges faced by FPOs were discussed with farmers and stakeholders. Acting swiftly on these inputs, the ministry has approved the constitution of the Committee to study the performance of FPOs in the State and suggest suitable corrective measures.

The Committee comprises representatives from NABARD, NAFED, SFAC- Tamil Nadu,ICAR–National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB), FPO representatives, NGOs and officials from the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, ensuring a comprehensive and field-oriented assessment. It will examine key issues affecting FPOs, including institutional governance and management practices, business operations and sustainability, technical support and extension linkages, aggregation, value addition and marketing challenges, as well as capacity-building and hand-holding requirements.

In addition, the Committee will recommend measures to strengthen FPO operations through improved business and operational models, enhanced technical backstopping and advisory support, institutional convergence and coordination, and stronger market linkages and promotional activities. Special focus will be given to crops and systems of importance to Tamil Nadu, including banana, turmeric, coconut, tapioca, and natural and organic farming systems.

The Committee will undertake field visits and hold consultations with FPOs, member farmers, market channels, processors and other stakeholders to ensure that its recommendations are grounded in on-ground realities. It will also collect and compile inputs from Central and State Government departments, ICAR institutes, commodity boards, private sector agencies and other relevant organizations.

The Committee is mandated to submit its final report to the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare within two months. ICAR–National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB), Tiruchirappalli, along with KVKs through ICAR–ATARI, Hyderabad, will act as the host institution and provide necessary logistical and secretarial support for meetings, field visits and compilation of the report.

This initiative underlines the Government of India’s farmer-centric approach, led by Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan and its focus on building strong, self-reliant and sustainable FPOs to enhance farmers’ income and promote value addition and market integration in Tamil Nadu’s agriculture sector.

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RC/PU