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(The Gist of PIB) Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs) to get access to Agriculture Infrastructure Fund

(THE GIST OF PIB) Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs) to get access to Agriculture Infrastructure Fund

In a bid to enhance infrastructure at APMCs, Budget 2021-22 announced that APMCs will become eligible beneficiaries to utilize the 1 lakh crore financing facility under AIF.
Better infrastructure in APMCs will reduce post-harvest losses, which can be as high as 5-10% of the produce.
Provide better price realization to farmers and also ability to store and sell at a better price.

About:

APMC is a statutory market committee constituted by a State Government for trade in certain notified agricultural or horticultural or livestock products, under APMC Act, 2003 issued by that state government.
APMCs fulfill objectives like transparency in pricing systems, providing extension services to farmers, value addition in agriculture etc.
A dedicated fund will help with faster creation of post-harvest infrastructure such as sorting and grading units, cold storages, warehouses etc.
AIF (Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare) provides medium – longterm debt financing facility for post-harvest management Infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and credit guarantee.
Beneficiaries include farmers, Primary Agricultural Credit Societies, Farmer Producers Organizations, Agri-entrepreneurs, Startups etc.