Introduction

With an objective of addressing entire cross section of agriculture, the Bombay Chamber has expanded the mandate of the “Agribusiness Committee” that existed till September 2011. The restructured committee has been named as “Agriculture and Food Processing Committee”. This new committee will address issues concerning all stakeholders of the agriculture industry including Food Security and PDS, Animal Husbandry, Horticulture, Pisciculture, Floriculture, Food Processing, Rural Development, Agriculture Markets, Supply Chain Logistics and Finance.

The committee will consist of five verticals:
(a) Agriculture (comprising Horticulture, Pulses, Grains and Floriculture)
(b) Food Processing (including value addition and exports)
(c) Animal Husbandry (including Dairy and Fisheries)
(d) Agriculture Markets and Logistics (including Food Security and Public Distribution system)
(e) Rural Development (Advisory Services and Farm Finance)
The committee as well as the verticals within shall have the “Corporate sector” as an important component and stakeholder. The committee shall also look at issues relating to “farmers at the grass root level” as the beneficiary to various agriculture schemes and practices.

Vision

Address issues for Inclusive growth of the agriculture in the State of Maharashtra.

Mission

Over a two-year horizon, the Committee wishes to:

• Identify core concerns of Agribusiness industry and farmers at the grass root levels
• Influence Union Government’s policy for the Agriculture and Food Processing industry to be globally competitive, through studied and well researched strategy papers
• Plan initiatives to aide integration of front-end and back-end, consolidation of agri retail chain, value addition through processing
• Promote PPP initiatives that would enhance agricultural productivity and and make agriculture more remunerative for small & marginal farmers
• Prepare representations on critical issues based industry deliberations and address concerns of constituent members