New Delhi: Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Abdul Sattar has said that the Maharashtra government is committed to supporting the industry coming forward to support the welfare of farmers and the agricultural sector.

Addressing the 9th edition of ‘India Maize Summit 2023’ organized by FICCI here recently, Sattar while highlighting the benefits of maize in ethanol blending, invited the private sector to come forward and set up a blending process in the state.

“The state government will provide all necessary support to the industry along with providing financial support and connecting with the farmers. Through this process we can also increase farmers' income by increasing the maize production,” he stated.

The Minister further stated that Maize is a safe and secure crop since it is less perishable as compared to other crops. “We must work to motivate farmers to move towards maize production,” he emphasized. Mr Sattar also highlighted the need to work together to create a system for maize storage and stocking. The role of industry, government and other agencies will be a key in this, he noted.

Manoj Ahuja, Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India emphasized that the agriculture sector is growing at a fast pace, and we need to have frameworks to strengthen the ecosystem in the agriculture sector. “We need to have workable frameworks in which we can work together in a collaborative and easy manner. It will bring more ease of doing business, certainty, clarity and transparency while working with the government,” he added.

He also stated that the government is devising a model for development of the agriculture sector under the PPP mode. It will allow the private sector to work with the government for the benefit of the farmers. “Due to the increasing demand coming in the maize sector in coming years, we would require a quantum jump in our production to the level of 40-45 million tons in the next 4-5 years. We also need to systematically understand the wastage and losses in the entire value chain and solve it,” added Ahuja.

TR Kesavan, Chairman, FICCI National Agriculture Committee and Group President, TAFE said that we must look at establishing a Centre of Excellence for mechanization in the agriculture sector which will be crucial for India.

Anuja Kadian, Government and Industry Affairs Director, Asia Pacific, Corteva Agriscience said that a sustainable roadmap to strengthen the maize value chain needs a holistic approach and is the need of the hour. Adoption of new seed technologies by farmers will take Indian maize to the next level. She also highlighted that a multi-stakeholder approach with the coming together of policymakers, research institutions and the private sector to develop a strong foundation to meet future demand of maize is imperative.

Sunjay Vuppuluri, Head-Food and Agribusiness Strategic Advisory and Research segment, YES BANK shared the insights on FICCI- YES BANK knowledge report. He highlighted that for India to meet the growing demand for maize and remain competitive in the global market, it is essential to promote innovative technologies and practices across the maize ecosystem. Pravesh Sharma, Chairman, FICCI Taskforce on FPOs and Director, Samunnati delivered the vote of thanks. During the event, FICCI- YES BANK knowledge report – ‘Transforming India’s Maize Sector: The Critical Role of Technology and Innovations’ was released. /BI/