Two-day long National Conference on Agriculture Concludes at Khalsa College

Amritsar, March 28 (Punjab Post Bureau) – The two-day-long national Conference on Wastage and Losses in Agricultural Marketing concluded here today at Khalsa College. The event was organized by department of agriculture in collaboration with National Council of State Agricultural Marketing Boards (COSAMB), New Delhi. More than 100 delegates from different states participated in the conference. The chief guest at the program, Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, Chairman Punjab Marketing Board in his address talked about contribution of Punjab farmers to the central pool and advocated subsidies to Punjab farmers.

            He sopught the favouravle policies to be formulated to reduce waste and losses in agricultural marketing. Earlier head of department Dr. Randeep Kaur, apprised the delegates about the objectives of the conference while Principal Dr. Mehal Singh extended heartiest welcome to the delegates and appreciated the efforts of organizer to hold such a vital dialogue on the significant issue. Shamsher Singh Randhawa, M.D., COSAMB in his keynote address elaborated the marketing systems in India and other countries. He also thanked Dr. Mehal Singh and staff members of the College for cooperation extended for organizing conference.

            Dr. VKM Bhat, Chief General Manager (Rtd), Kerala State Agricultural Marketing Board, in his presentation elaborated the cause of waste and losses in agricultural markets and remedies to reduce these losses. He said that post harvest losses of different agricultural commodities vary and these losses occur at various stages during market process. He also expressed his views on IT application for sale of produce in Karnataka State with special reference to important issues required to be taken care for implementation in other states. Dr. Randeep Kaur, in her presentation on, Comparative efficiency of green pea in pre and post demonetization period in Amritsar District of Punjab, expressed her views on the effect of de-monetization period on the marketing of green peas. Rajbir Singh, an expert on organic farming also gave detailed account on the challenegs of marketing to the agriculture produce. Prof. Amanpreet Kaur, Prof. Amandeep Singh and Prof. Gurleen Kaur also expressed their views on marketing of various agricultural commodities and difficulties faced by farmers during marketing process.