DACS launches Contract Farming in South Sikkim

GANGTOK, 20 Dec: The Denzong Agricultural Cooperative Society Limited (DACS) launched the Contract Farming program at Daragaon, Turuk, South Sikkim.
A press release informs that the program began with the welcome address and brief background and modalities of Contract Farming and its expected impact among farmers by Managing Director, MT Sherpa. This was followed by signing of Contract Farming Agreement between DACS and beneficiary Co-operative Society.
Thereafter, the Chairman handed over the cheques of first phase funds amounting to Rs 8 lakh out of total project value of Rs 10.28 lakh to the Cooperative Society along with day-old chicks and feeds to the farmers. The Chairman and Board of Directors also gave away Poultry Crates to local farmers as free grant.
The Chairman in his address stated that the State Government under the able leadership of the Chief Minister has been working hard to adapt the State into a self-sustaining and self-reliant economy and the DACS’s initiative also shares the same objective. He impressed upon the beneficiary farmers to make proper use of the support provided by the Society.
The president, SECUN in his brief address appreciated the step taken by DACS as fulfillment of Cooperative principle. The president, Turuk Poultry Livestock Cooperative Society on behalf of the farmers expressed gratitude to the DACS for implementing farmer centric schemes and empowering rural farmers. The program concluded with vote of thanks by General Manger, DACS, Arun Nepal.
DACS has taken up the Contract Farming of poultry broiler with Turuk Poultry Livestock Cooperative Society, a cooperative comprising of progressive local youth of Turuk, South Sikkim at the cost of Rs 10.28 lakh. Under the arrangement, DACS will provide funds in two phases for purchase of 8000 day-old chicks and required feed and medicines for the beneficiary poultry farmers. Further, as the DACS provides full assurance to buy back the produce, the farmers do not have to worry about the market.
The release states that the DACS’s contract farming initiative is first of its kind in Sikkim. The Society has already successfully implemented two such schemes with similar local cooperatives in the past. Such an effort will vastly benefit rural farmers in fulfilling their much needed fund and input requirements, it is mentioned.
The scheme will also benefit the Army as consumers since the quality of local produce surpasses all quality benchmarks compared to imported produce from outside the state. With the implementation of Poultry Mission by the State Government, the local production of poultry broiler has increased to the size of fulfilling almost all demands by the Army through DACS. The Contract Farming has two objectives – to support the farmers on the one hand and fulfil the Army demands on the other, it is added.