Niti Aayog favours amendment in APMC Act to help farmers

New Delhi: The Niti Aayog favours higher production of fruits and vegetables and amendment in Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee Act to ensure that farmers got a better return on investment. It is also in favour of the government making massive investment on research to improve seed varieties.

The government’s think tank which had appointed an expert committee has received its report on model land leasing act which may be soon forwarded to the government for circulation among states to ascertain their views on the subject.

The new planning body's massive investment on seed research include study on genetically modified seeds. "Elsewhere in the world, most notably the United States, GMO seeds have been in use for over two decades with no adverse effects on either other crops or those consuming the products of those seeds. China has been far ahead of us in this regard. Our own experience with BT Cotton seeds has been a success,", the Aayog noted.

The view of the organisation runs counter to the views expressed by some groups which are opposed to genetically engineered seeds.

In a report after appraisal of the 2012-17 plan the Aayog on Tuesday has said the United States and some other countries have been using genetically engineered seeds for over two decades and have found no adverse effect of these seeds.

On the GDP growth, the report said, measured at factor cost, the real GDP growth under the old methodology turns out to be 4.5 per cent in 2012-13 and 4.7 per cent in 2013-14 when the Congress-led UPA was at the helm of affairs at the Centre.

"Because the Twelfth Plan projections were based on the old series, it may be reasonably concluded that at least in 2012-13 and 2013-14, India has performed worse than the 'policy logjam' scenario,".

Measured using new methodology,, the economic growth in the country stood at 5.6 per cent and 6.6 per cent in the last two years of the UPA government.

It may be recalled that the base year has been changed from 2004-05 to 2011-12 and, in conformity with the international practice, the GDP is now measured at market prices.

The Aayog has also emphasized on shifting towards high value commodities such as

horticulture, fisheries and livestock. "For its size, India still does not produce enough fruits and vegetables,".

In 2011-12, the latest year for which data is available, agriculture employed 49 per cent of the workforce but contributed just 17.9 per cent to the GDP at current prices. A change in the scenario is , therefore, is needed.

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