The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has constituted a high-level committee to strengthen Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) in Tamil Nadu.

The decision follows the recent visit of Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to Erode, during which operational, technical, and market-related challenges faced by FPOs were discussed with farmers and other stakeholders. Acting on these inputs, the Ministry approved the formation of the committee to review the performance of FPOs in the state and recommend corrective measures.

In a statement, the Ministry said the committee will examine key issues affecting FPOs, including institutional governance and management practices, business operations, technical support and extension linkages, value addition and marketing challenges, as well as capacity-building and hand-holding requirements. The committee will also suggest measures to strengthen FPOs through improved business and operational models.

Special focus will be given to crops and farming systems significant to Tamil Nadu, including banana, turmeric, coconut, tapioca, and natural and organic farming practices.

The Ministry added that the committee has been mandated to submit its final report to the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare within two months. The initiative underscores the Centre’s farmer-centric approach and its focus on building strong, self-reliant, and sustainable FPOs to enhance farmers’ incomes and promote value addition and market integration in Tamil Nadu’s agriculture sector.