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PROJECT CONSULTANCY DIVISION
OF
THE MAHARSHTRA STATE AGRICULTURAL MARKETING BOARD, PUNE.
THE NEED:
Maharashtra is a key
agricultural State accounting for 6-7% of all agricultural
production in the country today. The State leads in the production
of a number of crops including several fruits, vegetables, sugar,
cotton, pulses etc. Agriculture is a major source of income for
rural masses constituting 60-70% of the State's population. It is a
major contributor to State's economy at around 25 % of the GDP.
State's farmers have been quite successful and they have been
consistently producing large quantities of marketable surplus. So
far agriculture has been an economically viable activity in the
State. However, in recent days there has been a disturbing trend
with stagnation in prices for farm produce, high levels of post
harvest losses and decreasing farm incomes. Under these
circumstances the farmers of Maharashtra, like in rest of the
country have very few options but to improve their post harvest
management practices so that the present high levels of post harvest
losses at 25-30% could be brought down to a reasonable level of 5%
or so. And secondly they have to add value through processing to
their farm produce for better remunerative prices. These steps can
lead to better returns with increased market demand for agricultural
produce and better chances of marketing.
THE CONCEPT:
The State Government
has identified post harvest management, food and agro processing,
agribusiness and agriculture marketing as thrust areas in the coming
years. This along with an excellent response received for the
consultancy services offered by the Marketing Board in the past for
APMCs and the Cooperative Societies in the State, the need for
enlarging the scope and range of services was considered by the Managing Director. This led to the formation of a full
fledged consultancy services.The Chairman of the Board of Directors
of the Maharashtra State Agricultural Marketing Board (MSAMB), the
Hon'ble Minister for Marketing,Government of Maharashtra,on 20th June
2003, announced that a "Project Consultancy Division" would be set
up to meet the inherent demand for consultancy services in the fast
growing areas of agro processing, food processing and post harvest
management in the State. He suggested that the MSAMB which has
proven experience in project consultancy work through their project
department take up the lead and set up a Project Consultancy
Division.
VISION:
The
Consultancy Division has a vision to make all out efforts to
conceptualise, plan and implement agribusiness projects and
contribute towards the development of the rural economy.
OBJECTIVES:
One of the key
objectives of the MSAMB is to facilitate more efficient marketing of
agricultural produce, develop agro-processing, post harvest
management practices so that farmers can expect better remuneration
for their farm produce. Presently the quality of consultancy
services available to farmers and cooperatives in the State are not
up to the mark. Besides, the consultancy fees charged are quite high
at 6 to 8 %. Keeping this in mind the Consultancy Division would
specialise in areas of post harvest management, agro processing and
related agriculture activities including production and marketing of
organic produce, animal husbandry, poultry and fisheries as per
demand. The consultancy services will cover the works of preparation
of project plan, evaluation of projects, continuos technical
guidance till completion of the project, financial planning,
training of employees etc. Primary focus will be on providing
technical guidance in the following types of services:
1.
Project Identification
2. Concept Development
3. Project pre
feasibility study
4. Detailed Project Report (DPR)
preparation
5. Technology sourcing
6. Sourcing appropriate
plant and machinery
7. Technical consultancy and guidance
8.
Project planning
9. Production planning
10. Market planning
11. Marketing support
12. Domestic marketing
13. Export
marketing
14. Project Monitoring
15. Project implementation
supervision
16. Financial plan
17. Sourcing of funds
18.
Financial proposal
19. Financial Analysis
20. Cash flow
statement
21. Commissioning support
22. Operational
planning
23. Training and HRD /capacity building
BENEFICIERY:
The
services would be offered at a concessional /reasonable fee of 2 %
of the total project cost. The services of Consultancy Division will
be available to any entrepreneur including farmers co-operatives,
the APMCs, and individuals including a number of private
entrepreneurs who have come forward to set up a variety of post
harvest management and agro processing facilities in various Agri
Export Zones (AEZs) in the State. The consultancy help would be
provided to any of them who would approach the Marketing Board.
PERSONNEL:
The Consultancy
Division has a number of experts in the field of Agriculture and
Agro business and other related fields. Additional and specialised
expertise as required is out-sourced from the market on a project to
project basis. The Project Consultancy Division is headed by Shri.
B.B. Gunjal, M.Tech.
Dairy & Food Engineering, Advisor (Projects) and Head of
Project Department, at the MSAMB, Pune. He will be assisted by a
staff of 10 who are available exclusively for the project work. The
list of personnel of the Project Consultancy Division with their
special qualifications are given below.
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1.
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Mr. D.M.Sable |
M.Sc (Agriculture)in Agril Entomology |
Senior Project Consultant |
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2.
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Shri.
J.J. Jadhav |
M.B.A. |
Junior
Project Consultant |
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3.
|
Mr. A.B.Heshi |
M.Sc (Agri)in Horticulture |
Junior
Project Consultant |
| 4. |
Mrs.
S.P. Khondre |
B.E(Civil) |
Junior Project Consultant |
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5.
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Mr.
D.S.Salunkhe
|
M.Sc
(Agri)in Agronomy |
Junior
Project Consultant |
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6.
|
Mrs.
A.A. Phadke
|
B.Com.
D.C.A. |
Data
Entry Operator |
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7.
|
Mr.
S.P. Shewale
|
D.E.C.H.E. |
Assistant |
Besides the above additional expert services of
Dr. K. Z. Toshniwal, General Manager, Shri.
S.A.
Patil and Shri.R.
S. Shingte, Dy. General Manager, MSAMB,
expert in Agriculture and Cooperatives,
Director, Horticulture Training Center of NIPHT is available as
required. Financial and Engineering services are out-sourced as
required. Overall supervision, guidance and control of the Project
Consultancy Division is by the Managing Director of the Marketing
Board,S.P.Sangale.
KEY PROJECTS EXECUTED BY THE PROJECT DIVISION:
1.
Conceptualization, Planning, and implementation of Basic Infrastructure
Facilities such as
- Overall plan and layout
of market yards (APMCs)
- Design and
implementation of buildings, roads, wholesale and retail shops,
Auction Hall, farmers rest house, utilities like Drinking
Water, Electricity etc.
2. Specialized infrastructure facilities like setting up of Grain cleaning
and sorting facility
Commercial multi commodity multi chamber Cold Storages
Pre-Cooling cum Cold Storages, Onion Storage facility
Model Export center. Ripening
Chambers
Pack House
Shetkari Bazaar.
3. Computerisation help:
Computerisation of APMC
accounts
Computerised market information system.
4. State level Planning:
Blue print for the State for the overall development of APMCs.
Conceptualisation and detailed plan of an Integrated State level
Marketing
Infrastructure
Development plan for Horticulture produce.
Conceptualisation of State level plans for development of marketing
and
agribusiness.
Preparation of concept paper and study papers
for the State Government from
time to time.
5. Financial Assistance Proposals:
Detailed Project Reports for financial assistance for submission to
Government of India, State agencies, World Bank for projects by the Marketing Board.
Status :
The
consultancy division is having 20 active projects on hand valued at
an estimated Rs.22500 lakhs. In these mainly projects of
Modernization and Expansion of Dhalli Market Yard of Himachal
Pradesh Marketing Board, Shimla, Dal Mill, Flour Mills, Fruits & Vegetable
processing, Cold Storage projects of Co-operative Societies and APMCs are
included.
Project
Consultancy Division appraises project reports of the co-operative
societies received from the Directorate of Marketing. About 80 appraisal reports
of various co-operative societies have been submitted to the
Director of Marketing.
CONTACT
INFORMATION:
Head,
Project
Consultancy
Division
Maharashtra
State
Agricultural Marketing Board
R-7, Market Yard, Gultekdi,
Pune 411 037 Phone: 020-24261190, 24268297 Fax: 020-24272095
Email:
project@msamb.com/
msamb@vsnl.com
Web:
www.msamb.com
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