Plea to unshackle agricultural marketing in India

PANAJI: Global grain and feed forum (G2F2) 2014, an international conference and exhibition on grain, feed, trade and technology, began in Panaji on Friday with a call to "unshackle" the agricultural marketing in India.
Atul Chaturvedi, CEO, Adani Wilmar Limited, in his key note address on the 'Domestic and Global Agri Market dynamics,' stated that the world grain, oil and oilseed trade is passing through a new consolidation phase.He said the role of food corporation of India (FCI) should be suitably tweaked to allow space for private sector "which has been elbowed out by FCI in grain marketing." Thrust should also be given to improve storage infrastructure to preserve precious grains, he said adding that the agricultural marketing in India needed to be unshackled.
The two-day event is being attended by policy makers, leading importers and exporters, traders, processors, retail investors, corporate groups, commodity exchanges, logistics companies and experts on weather from India and abroad to deliberate on latest supply and demand of grains and feed, weather development and its impact on production of Kharif grain, oilseeds and related issues.
This event G2F2 2014 has been conceptualized and is being organized on June 20 and 21 by Tefla's under the patronage of the solvent extractors association (SEA) of India.
Vijay Data, president, solvent extractors' association of India, in his opening remarks raised a question on whether Asia will be able to feed itself in the future? Or will Asia be forced to continue to rely on the western economies for some of its expanding food and feed needs.
G2F2 2014 will be accompanied by an exhibition where the latest on offer from the grains and feeds sector will be showcased. The exhibition will include products, processes, technologies, machinery and equipment, financial services, etc, the organizers said.