Mysore :
The book “Agri-input Marketing in India,” authored by Dr. Venugopal Pingali, Professor of Marketing, XLRI and Ram Kaundinya, Professor of Strategy, MYRA School of Business and published by SAGE, was launched by MYRA School of Business on Sept. 19 at its Athena Auditorium in Yelwal.
Manoj Rajan, IFS, Additional Secretary (Market Reforms), Government of Karnataka, released the book in the presence of chief guest P.S. Vastrad, Commissioner, Department of Health and Family Welfare.
Manoj Rajan, in his address, highlighted the enormous stride made by the Karnataka Government in this sector of Agricultural marketing. Quoting the father of Green revolution, Dr. Swaminathan, he said agricultural development is defined by Monsoons and Market. While monsoon is not in our hands markets are. Hence, market reforms have played a key role in bringing about transformation, he opined.
Rashtriya e-Market Services Private Limited (ReMSL), a joint venture company of the Government of Karnataka and the NCDEX Spot Exchange Limited, has set up the online markets and that has been the game changer, he said and cited the example of how in the district of Tiptur, the online trading helped triple the price of copra increasing from Rs. 6,000 to 18,000 per quintal.
He spoke about Agricultural Marketing Reforms Committee set up by the Government to study all the aspects relating to the objectives of providing a barrier-free agricultural market system for the benefit of farmers and consumers and its report and recommendations along with a comprehensive road map and necessary interventions for undertaking the reforms in agricultural marketing in the State.
Having carefully considered the report and recommendations, the same has been adopted as Karnataka Agricultural Marketing Policy, 2013, he said adding the Government of Karnataka is embarking on an ambitious-reforms agenda for Agricultural Marketing through the implementation of this Policy.
He urged the young management students to consider the Agri-Business sector as a career option that is well paying, challenging as well as satisfying.
Vastrad spoke about the evolution of the Agri-Business sector and the government’s role in bringing about positive changes for the benefit of both farmers and consumers.
The authors of the book are two stalwarts with vast experience in both academia and industry. While Dr. Pingali Venugopal, Associate Director, XLRI, Centre for Global Management and Responsible Leadership, and Professor (Marketing), comes with more than three decades of significant research work in the Indian context, Ram Kaundinya, formerly Managing Director, Advanta India Ltd., and Chairman, Association of Biotech Led Enterprises – Agricultural Group (ABLE-AG), member of the Board of Directors of Axis Bank, comes with equal years of experience in the agrochemical & seed industries and banking sector. Ram Kaundinya also holds a faculty position and teaches Strategy, to the students of the MYRA School of Business.
According to the authors, the book is meant for policy-makers, managers and business students. However, the book makes for an easy and interesting read and is accessible to all concerned citizens. Its 220 pages draw on data to show the long distance that India has travelled since Independence. This book is a must read for ordinary citizens who realise that food security is at risk in the foreseeable future.
The programme began with invocation by MYRAcles Plavani and Kashish Vyas. Prof. Shalini R. Urs, Founder of MYRA, who welcomed, outlined the importance of agriculture sector. Prof. Rajiv Sinha, Dean, MYRA School of Business, proposed a vote of thanks.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Tuesday , September 24th, 2014