Govt mulls to sell agri, poultry products directly from farms

Kolkata: The state government has come up with a unique idea of selling agricultural and poultry products from its own farms directly to the customers.

The West Bengal Comprehensive Area Development Corporation (WBCADC) has opened the first such store at Mrittika Bhawan in Salt Lake recently, so that people can buy various products from the outlet managed by the government agency. WBCADC, which is functioning under the state Panchayat and Rural Development department, has plans to set up mobile shops in future.

Various products such as eggs, meat of chicken, koel, turkey, duck and black Bengal goat, have already been made available at the store. Lettuce, strawberry, dragonfruit, rice and pulses are also available as agricultural produce.

Various state-owned farms including those at Haringhata in Nadia and Ayodhya Hills in Purulia are setting up facilities for packaging the meat of the animals. The country goats and black Bengal goats will also be reared in these places.

In addition to these facilities, a state-of-the-art abattoir is also coming up in Purulia. Steps have also been taken to carry out bee culture for preparing honey in large quantities.

According to a senior official, the WBCADC will also focus on area-based rural development by increasing the quantity of the agricultural produce and allied production.

One of the main purposes of the department is to provide the maximum benefit of such production to the cultivators. WBCADC is also engaged in development of the primary sectors of the economy, like agriculture, fishery and animal resource development.

After coming to power, the Mamata Banerjee government's priority was to uplift the socio-economic condition of the people living in the villages. Various social schemes were introduced by different government departments in order to make the people economically independent.

Many self-help groups have been formed in all the districts following government intervention, so that the people, mainly women, can participate in various activities and earn money.

According to a senior official, the rate of the products will be below the market price so that more buyers get attracted to the stalls set up by the government.