‘TOPS To Total’: FM Announces Pilot Scheme To Set Up Supply Chain For All Fruits And Vegetables

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday (15 May) began her third tranche of announcements pertaining to the Rs 20 lakh crore economic package under Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.

She said that today's announcements would be focused on agriculture and allied services, like fisheries and food processing.

The Finance Minister announced that the Operations Greens, currently for Tomatoes, Onion and Potatoes, will be extended to all fruits and vegetables.

As part of TOP to TOTAL scheme, 50 per cent subsidy will be given on transportation of all fruits and vegetables from surplus to deficit markets.

The remaining 50 per cent subsidy will be available for storage, including cold storage. This is a pilot program for supply chains that will last for six months to begin with.

The government has also decided to amend the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, to provide farmers with better price realisation.

Agriculture food stuffs such as cereals, oilseeds, onions, potato, edible oils will be deregulated.