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Indian Express
6 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Agriculture dept plans to use land to build farm produce shopping mall
Maharashtra's Agriculture department is planning to construct special shopping malls in different parts of the state where farmers can sell their produce directly to consumers. The malls are set to be built on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model and will be on land parcels owned by the Agriculture department. The pilot project is likely to be set up soon. 'One of the main factors affecting the farmers is the right price for their produce. Some serious efforts need to be taken in this regard and this is one of the ideas that we are working on,' said Maharashtra's Agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate. The Agriculture department has over 35,000 acres of land across the state. It also owns land parcels in different cities which are either lying vacant or being encroached upon. Cities like Pune, Solapur, Nasik, Nagpur have such land parcels which are lying unused for years. These plots are being planned to be used for the purpose of building a special shopping mall in partnership with investors and private players using the PPP model. As per the plan, 50 percent of the mall will be given to the private players for commercial use where shops and showrooms of their choice can be set up. This area may be given on a 30-40 years lease basis to the private player. The remaining 50 percent area will be given to set up shops only to farmer bodies, self help groups, farm producers' companies and even individual farmers. 'Nobody other than those related to farmers will be allowed to set up shops in that 50 percent part,' said Kokate. The department is planning to undertake a pilot project soon whereby one such shopping mall will be built in each of the administrative divisions of the state. Based on the success of the experiment, a big city in each district will house such a mall. 'The land belonging to the Agriculture department has been lying vacant and in some cases encroachment too has been observed, especially in bigger cities in the state. The move is to put this land into use and convert it into a model which will ensure steady financial earning to farmers,' said Kokate.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Maha agriculture minister bats for trial use of HT-tolerant cotton seeds
1 2 Nagpur: The state's agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate has called for allowing use of herbicide-tolerant cotton seeds, at least on a trial basis, for farmers to assess their impact. The seeds cannot be legally used by farmers as they await approval from the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), which works under the ministry of environment, said Kokate as he addressed Union minister for agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan at a function to launch One Nation, One Agriculture, One Team mission recently. Kokate acknowledged that even as it may be illegal to use the seed at present, the herbicide-tolerant variety has already made its way into villages from Gujarat through black marketeers. Farmers prefer it as it reduces the cost of labour since weeds can be killed by spraying herbicide. He also mentioned that there is a labour shortage in the hinterland. This can be addressed by mechanisation. "A machine to pluck cotton is being developed. Alternatively, farmhands can be covered under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Scheme (MNREGS) on a partial basis," he said.
Time of India
11-05-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
Maharashtra agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate visits rain-hit areas in Nashik
Nashik: On Sunday afternoon, state agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate visited rain-affected areas in Sinnar taluka of Nashik Pandhurli village in Sinnar, Kokate assessed the extent of crop destruction and road damage caused by the recent minister assured govt would implement swift measures to assist the affected farmers. He directed officials to promptly conduct a panchnama of the rain-induced crop damage and deliver a report soon. He engaged with affected farmers who suffered substantial losses during his visit. The agricultural community requested immediate assistance for those visit to the rain-affected areas included officials from state agriculture and revenue departments alongside farmers. Recent unseasonal showers have affected crops and orchards across approximately 2,500 hectares in various areas of the district. The combination of unseasonal rainfall and hail primarily impacted areas within Chandwad, Kalwan, Surgana, Sinnar, Igatpuri, Niphad, Malegaon, and Satana rain mostly damaged onion crops, vegetables, and mango orchards. Initial assessments by the state agriculture department indicate that since May 6, the unusual rain affected crops and orchards across 2,500 hectares in more than 350 villages across nine talukas, impacting over 10,000 farmers. The damage included onion crops on 1,000 hectares, mango orchards on 486 hectares, vegetables on 278 hectares, and various other crops. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Mother's Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
NDCC Bank's settlement scheme soon
Nashik: The Nashik District Central Cooperative (NDCC) Bank, in order to maximize the recovery of pending loans from defaulters, will soon introduce a One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme featuring reduced interest on the principal loan amount. This OTS scheme will be valid for a period of six months. The bank will release a circular detailing the OTS scheme. The decision to implement this OTS scheme, offering a lower interest rate on outstanding dues up to Rs10 lakh for loan defaulters, was made during a meet held in Mumbai on Wednesday. The meet was chaired by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. It was also attended by state agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate, state education minister Dada Bhuse, state cabinet minister Narhari Zirwal, and senior officials from the bank.
