It would allow FPO Shri Balaji FPO to aggregate, procure and store quality IPM and organic cumin on behalf of ITC as per the prescribed quality norms. 

 Shri Balaji Farmers Producers Company Limited, Balada in Pali district, Rajasthan and ITC Ltd, Barmer, Rajasthan have agreed to work together for procurement, aggregation and buy-back of quality IPM and organic cumin from smallholder farmers of Jaitran tehsil of Pali district of Rajasthan.

The pact was signed between Shri Balaji FPO and ITC on March 1, 2021 during the farmers mela attended by 250 smallholder farmers on the cumin demonstration farmer’s field organized jointly by DBT-SABC Biotech Kisan hub and Ambuja Cement Foundation at Kurki, Rajasthan.

The collaboration would allow FPO Shri Balaji Farmers Producers Company Limited to aggregate, procure and store quality IPM and organic cumin on behalf of ITC as per the prescribed quality norms. ITC in turn buys-back IPM & organic cumin directly at a premium price from FPO Shri Balaji Farmers Producers Company Limited to enhance farmers’ income and livelihood.

“Our farmers will be benefited by this collaboration with ITC, and we will get premium price for IPM and organic cumin produced by most backward farmers of our region”, said Rambharos Gurjar, CEO of Shri Balaji FPO.

“ITC is committed to create value for smallholder farmers across supply chain of Agri commodities. Our quest is to help smallholder get better realization for quality seed spices such as cumin. Engaging with FPO is a way to pass on benefits directly to farmers and this is a classic example of creating value for residue free and IPM cumin”, alluded Giriraj Sharma of ITC Ltd.

“IPM cumin is the future of farming & can fetch 10-20% premium price to cumin growing farmers in Rajasthan. The collaboration between Shri Balaji FPO and ITC Ltd is an outcome of DBT-SABC biotech Kisan hub project, which is promoting IPM cumin production in Western Rajasthan. There is a potential international market for IPM cumin from Japan, EU and USA that could help our farmers to transform income and livelihood”, said Dr Bhagirath Choudhary of the DBT-SABC Biotech Kisan hub and technical member on the Board of APEDA, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Govt of India.