Politics Insight News Without Politics
(Pi Bureau)
Virendra Singh Rawat
Business Writer
The 35 billion dollar global confectionary giant Mars Wrigley Confectionery yesterday announced the launch of a farmer centric programme ‘Shubh Mint’ in Uttar Pradesh.
This boosts the pro-farmer agenda of the Yogi Adityanath government, which is aiming at doubling the farm income in the next 5 years.
“Through Shubh Mint, we will reach 20,000 farmers from villages in Barabanki and Lucknow over the next 5 years,” Mars Wrigley Confectionery vice president, Global Sustainability, Kim Frankovich said.
By providing farmers with better plant material and training on growing practices, the company is seeking doubling farm yields and income from mint by 2021.
Shubh Mint programme is focused on improving the long-term viability of mint by providing farmers with access to better planting materials, training on good agricultural practices and advancing the community through youth education and women’s empowerment programs.
Funded by Mars Wrigley Confectionery, the first year of the programme brought a team of 30 extension workers to 68 villages across UP. These workers trained farmers on better growing practices – focusing on fundamentals such as irrigation frequency and fertiliser application.
In UP, a million farmers grow about 80 percent of the world’s mint supply; which is used in everyday products like chewing gum, mints, oral care and pharmaceuticals.
Agribusiness Systems International (ASI) country director Amit Singh noted farmers had faced challenges in the past. “Mint yields had been declining, plants were old and the soil dry. Through this program, we’ve been able to provide support.”
UP agriculture department director Soraaj Singh highlighted the need for collaborative solutions to address the challenges farmers face.
“We welcome that Mars Wrigley Confectionery and Shubh Mint partners have joined hands to better the lives of mint farmers in the state. Increasing farmer profits is an important priority, as are good agricultural practices, particularly on soil conservation and the reduction of water consumption in mint production,” he said.
Through Wrigley Company Foundation and Pratham, the company claims to have so far provided education to over 100,000 youth across 800 villages.
Mars Wrigley Confectionery India is headquartered in Gurgaon and operates units in Hyderabad, Baddi, Bangalore and Pune.
