SOP To Be Adopted by FPOs
SOP To Be Adopted by FPOs
SOP To Be Adopted by FPOs
Business
Standard Operating
Procedures
Covid-19
April 2020
With rising cases of Coronavirus disease across
India, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on 15
April 2020 issued revised guidelines covering
measures for containment of the disease and
continuity of safe business operations. It is
necessary for businesses to adopt specific
standard operating procedures (SOPs) for
safeguarding the community at large. The
following dos and don’ts are recommended
to Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)
undertaking business activities
Dos
• Open and operate input shop and carry out retail sales of inputs.
• Mandatory use of face masks for employees as well as customers.
• Allow up to 10 people inside FPO/input shop premises.
• While operating, ensure single entry point/door/gate for customers and one person enters at a time.
• Ensure customers are maintaining social distancing of minimum 6 feet while waiting a queue.
• Sanitise FPO premises daily.
• Sanitise all the vehicles entering the premises by spraying disinfectants.
• Ensure the manpower involved in loading/unloading is wearing face masks and washing hands regularly.
• Ensure availability of hand wash and sanitisers at every point of entry into the premises.
• Ban consumption of Gutka, Pan and tobacco-related products and spitting within the premises.
• Keep a comprehensive list of hospitals authorised to treat COVID-19 patients at FPO premises.
Don’ts
• Allowing individual, employee or customers with symptoms related to COVID-19, like fever, cough or
breathing issues, in the premises.
• Taking services of senior citizens of above 65 years age as well as parents of young children
below 5 years of age.
• Selling items categorised as non-essentials at the premises.
Dos
Don’ts
• Allowing transportation of CHC equipment like tractors by more than two individuals.
• Allowing employees, customers and vendors with symptoms related to COVID-19, like fever, cough
or breathing issues, in the premises.
Dos
• Ensure social distancing is maintained during collection and aggregation of the produce either at farm
level or at the Farmers Common Service Centre (FCSC).
• For quality assurance and purchase of commodity, make necessary markings on the floor of procurement
centre to ensure social distancing.
• Allot time slots to members for delivery of their produce and ensure gathering of only 10 people at any point
of time.
• Inform farmers through SMS/WhatsApp/phone call on their respective delivery/collection slots.
• Allow only one farmer at a time to enter the procurement area for weighing, grading and sorting.
• Mandatory use of face masks in the office and input shop by employees, customers, vendors, and farmers
visiting FCSC.
• Mandatory use of hand gloves for all operators handling material in the premises.
• Sanitise all packing materials before use.
• Handle all commodities with minimal human touch.
• Sanitise crates and other handling equipment like weighing scales, grading tables, etc. after
each transaction.
• Use online mode of payment for farmers who supply material. Avoid cash transactions.
• Sanitise outlets regularly before closing and opening.
• Regularly sanitise hired or owned vehicles used for door-to-door selling of vegetables.
• Adhere to basic rules of sanitisation for drivers and sales staff.
Don’ts
• Allowing employees, customers and vendors with symptoms related to COVID-19, like fever, cough
or breathing issues, in the premises.
• Allowing customers above 65 years of age as well as parents of young children below 5 years of age.
• Selling of items categorised as non-essentials from the premises.
• Allowing more than four people inside FPO retail sale outlets for outputs
FPO staff must download All FPOs must follow the orders Ensure medical insurance for
Aarogya Setu App that helps of local administration if they the FPO staff under AYUSHMAN
in identifying Corona positive fall under red zone category for BHARAT or any other similar
persons around him/her and containment of COVID-19. schemes.
also encourage others
to download.
All FPOs can avail transport Farmers/FPOs can avail The Ministry of Agriculture &
facility for fruits, vegetables, transport facility if they are using Farmers’ Welfare has set up a
seeds, pesticide and fertiliser eNAM by contacting the call 24/7 toll-free call centre number
by contacting the call centre centre number 1800-270-0224. 1800 1804200 | 14488 for
number 1800-180-4200. coordination related to intra- and
inter-state movement of fruits
and vegetables and all types
of agri inputs.
Kisan
Rath
app
The government has launched Kisan Rath app that will facilitate farmers and traders to identify suitable transport facilities for the movement of farm produce during
the lockdown.
Annexure 1
Relevant sections have been drawn for the convenience of FPOs to operate under
COVID-19 pandemic
Consolidated revised guidelines on the measures to be taken by ministries/departments of Government of India,
state/UT governments and state/UT authorities for containment of COVID-19 in the country [as per Ministry of Home Affairs
(MHA) Order No. 40-3/2020-DM-I (A) dated 15 April, 2020].
• Farming operations in field • Operations of tea, coffee and rubber plantations, with
• Agencies engaged in procurement of agriculture maximum of 50% workers
products, including MSP operations • Processing, packaging, sale and marketing of tea, coffee,
• ‘Mandis’ operated by the Agriculture Produce Market rubber and cashew, with maximum of 50% workers
Committee (APMC) or as notified by the state/UT
government (e.g., satellite mandis). Direct marketing
operations by the state/UT government or by industry,
directly from farmers/group of farmers, FPOs’ co-operatives Animal husbandry
etc. States/UTs may promote decentralised marketing and
procurement at village level
• Shops of agriculture machinery, its spare parts (including • Collection, processing, distribution and sale of milk and milk
its supply chain) and repairs to remain open products by milk processing plants, including transport and
• CHCs related to farm machinery supply chain
• Manufacturing, distribution and retail of fertilisers, • Operation of animal husbandry farms including poultry
pesticides and seeds farms and hatcheries and livestock farming activity
• Movement (inter- and intra-state) of harvesting and sowing • Animal feed manufacturing and feed plants, including
related machines like combined harvester and other supply of raw material, such as maize and soya
agriculture/horticulture implements • Operation of animal shelter homes, including Gaushalas
Fisheries
Annexure 2
SOPs for social distancing for offices, workplace, factories and establishments
All areas in the premises, including the following, Workplaces shall have a gap of one hour between
1 shall be disinfected completely using user-friendly
7 shifts and will stagger the lunch breaks of staff, to
disinfectant mediums: ensure social distancing.
– Entrance gate of building, office, etc.
Large gatherings or meetings of 10 or more people
– Cafeteria and canteens. 8 to be discouraged. Seating at least 6 feet away from
– Meeting room, conference halls/open areas
available/verandah/entrance gate of site, others on job sites and in gatherings, meetings and
bunkers, porta cabins, building etc. training sessions.
– Equipment and lifts.
– Washroom, toilet, sink; water points, etc.
Not more than 2/4 persons (depending on size) will
– Walls/all other surfaces
9 be allowed to travel in lifts or hoists.
For workers coming from outside, special
2 transportation facility will be arranged without any
Use of staircase for climbing should
dependency on the public transport system. These
10 be encouraged.
vehicles should be allowed to work only with
30-40% passenger capacity.
Annexure 3
Subject: Set up of Govt. of India Call Centre at toll free numbers 18001804200 and 14488 for coordination between States for
inter State movement of perishables - vegetables, fruits, inputs like seeds, pesticides and fertilizers etc.,-reg
Sir/Madam,
Amidst prevailing situation of COVID-19 pandemic, Government of India has set up an all India Call Centre for coordination
between States for inter State movement of perishables - vegetables & fruits. inputs like seeds. pesticides and fertilizers etc which
arc exempted items as per the Consolidated Guidelines issued by Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Call Centre based at Faridabad Haryana, is operating with a toll free numbers 18001804200 and 14488. It is manned by
Call Centre Executives (CCE) attending inbound and outbound calls on 24x7 basis. Truck drivers/traders/retailers/any other stake
holders facing problem in inter-State movement of perishables - vegetables & fruits. inputs like seeds, pesticides and fertilizers can
call on this toll free number. The issues will be intimated to the concerned authorities of states for prompt resolution. These issues
wiII be further coordinated & tracked by the CCEs and they will also intimate the status to callers. You will agree that for effective
functioning of the Call Center a proactive role is necessitated from the State/UT level.
The above mentioned information and details may kindly be intimated at [email protected] (Sh. Sajith Kumar,
Mobile: 9818954982). This may be treated as MOST URGENT please.
Atish Chandra
Joint Secretary (Extension)
To know more, please visit www.grantthornton.in or contact any of our offices as mentioned below:
Follow us @GrantThorntonIN