National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, NABARD, launched its village level campaign on formation of Farmers Producers Organization (FPO) from Block Sumb of district Samba today. The campaign was inaugurated by Suresh Chand, General Manager of NABARD. Inaugurating the series of village level awareness camps, Suresh Chand said that formation of FPO paves way for collective farming and better bargaining. He said the small and marginal farmers benefit from economies of scale when they come together as collectives. The majority of land holdings belong to small and marginal farmers. Being unorganized, they are unable to realize desired value from their produce. Organizing them into FPOs will benefit them from economies of scale in purchase of inputs, processing and marketing of their produce,” he said. He added that FPOs can play a vital role in doubling of farmer’s income by 2022. Surinder Singh, DDM, NABARD, said that block Sumb is a hub of mushroom production in Samba. These mushroom growers can be organised in FPO. This will help the farmers to increase income, scale down production cost, eliminate middle men and empower the farmers with bargaining power. NABARD would provide handholding and financial support to the FPOs through a promoting institution for its registration as a company and carrying out its activities in initial years, he added. Later, agricultural loans amounting Rs 28.00 lakhs were disbursed to Self Help Groups and mushroom growers of the area. Sanjay Dhar, Director – RSETI, Ashok Gupta, Deputy Director – ATMA, Kasturi Lal, J&K Grameen Bank, Romesh Chand, FLC, S P Verma, Ex-Sarpanch, members of Self Help Groups and large number of farmers from the area participated in this programme. Daljeet Jasrotia Branch Manager of Grameen Bank Sumb presented the vote of thanks.