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BLOG-70: Branding Agriculture: Creating Brands from Commodities

Farmers can enhance their income if they start branding their commodities. Extension and Advisory Services should support farmers with branding their produce, argues Mandeep Pujara

Dr Madeep Pujara is Project Director, Agricultural technology Management Agency ( ATMA), Amritsar, Department of Agriculture ,Government of Punjab, India.
Email: doctorpujara@yahoo.comĀ 

 

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  • Branding of farm products has a long way to go. It is commendable that ATMA, Amritsar which the author is heading showed the way for a Turmeric farmer to brand and sell Haldi powder as Majiha Gold Haldi successfully. The Indian consumers have lots of inhibitions in purchasing branded products especially in meat and meat products. Although, India is sixth largest producer of chicken, the share of frozen meat market is reported to be about 5 % of the total poultry market. This low percentage is attributed to the lack of trust of consumers on branded meat and their preference for fresh meat. The Government is also encouraging formation and establishment of Farmer producer Organisations (FPOs). It is time that Extension needs to play an important role in educating the farmer producers on the advantages of branding of farm products, as indicated by the author. I congratulate Dr. Mandeep Pujara for highlighting the importance and scope of branding farm products in India.

  • Brands and branding is well known practices since ages in sectors like Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), clothings etc but in Agricultural sector at the level of farmers it is missing. But the traders, processors after procuring they are doing packaging and branding and cashing on the benefits which branded products often enjoy. The farmers in Western Countries like US farmers brand their products including dairy foods. To survive in the brand conscious world, this practice will have to be adopted by farmers of developing countries too, sooner the better. Some Producers groups have started doing it. I saw, a few KVKs have started working on those lines. If we want to increase the share of producers in consumers prices, the producers will have to be made smart by building their capacities directed to in the areas like clean production/good agricultural practices, processing, labeling & branding. In the current discussion on doubling the farmers income, this is even more important. . I congratulate Mandeep and AESA for bringing out blog in such a new area, which suggest that Extension and Advisory services should help farmers in developing brands of their products to get recognized among the consumers. Look forward for such masterpieces from Mandeep & AESA in future too !