Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Farmer Producer Company Held in Debari, Hindustan Zinc's Solution Project

Debari:  Under the joint initiative of Hindustan Zinc Limited and BaiF, the annual meeting of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) was held. The meeting, organized by Ghatawali Mataji Farmer Producer Company, was attended by senior officials from Hindustan Zinc, including Head CSR Anupam Nidhi, SBU Head Debari Zinc Smelter Manas Tyagi, and Panchayat representative Dharmachand. A total of 120 farmers participated in the meeting. Ghatawali Mataji FPO, associated with Debari Zinc Smelter, has 757 shareholders and achieved a total turnover of over 5.7 million.

The meeting commenced with a brief introduction of the FPO's perspective and mission by Shankarlal Meena, President of the FPO, and Secretary Chunnilal Patel. They shed light on the business achievements for the financial year 2022-23 and discussed upcoming plans for the financial year 2023-24, director elections, and bonus share distribution.

Share certificates were presented to shareholders, and farmers with the highest business transactions with the Agriculture Service Centers were honored.

Ghatawali Mataji Farmer Producer Company has established agriculture service centers and a dairy enterprise in Debari, Udaipur district. This enterprise collects milk from indigenous cows and produces a range of products, including Bilona Ghee, butter, milk, yogurt, cheese, and khoya, marketed under the GouYam brand. The dairy micro-enterprise conducted a business of INR 56.95 lakh during the financial year 2022-23.

Ramoura Agucha FPO, under the umbrella of Hindustan Zinc, conducted a business of over 60 lakh in the financial year 2022-23. Similarly, Jay Chittorgarh Farmers Producer Company Limited has established a minor mineral mixture enterprise in Chittorgarh, which produces mineral mixture as a livestock feed supplement and conducted a business of 37.69 lakh during the financial year 2022-23.

The Solution Project is a multi-sectoral livelihood project that aims to improve the livelihoods of farming communities by integrating agriculture, livestock management, and farmer producer organizations since September 2016, covering five districts in South Rajasthan.

The Solution Project has facilitated the establishment of FPOs under the Companies Act 2013, enabling farmers to empower themselves. These organizations assist farmers in procurement, production, harvesting, grading, aggregation, and marketing of agricultural produce. The program is centered on providing market-based pre-and post-harvest services through community organizations and promoting development-oriented by farmers and their communities.

Under the first phase of the Solution, Hindustan Zinc has established 5 FPOs across four districts, benefiting more than 5300 shareholders. Starting operations in the financial year 2022-23, the FPOs achieved a significant milestone with a total turnover of INR 19.9 crores, marking a remarkable accomplishment.

Through FPOs, farmers not only found a ray of hope in managing their farming costs but also received regular information about market prices. They have been able to reach markets collectively and make better price decisions regarding the sale of their produce. These achievements demonstrate Hindustan Zinc's and its partners' dedication to building a sustainable livelihood in Rajasthan.