Nearly 2,23,000 growers in Himachal Pradesh adopt natural farming

Shimla, May 25 (IANS) Nearly 2,23,000 farmers and horticulturists in Himachal Pradesh have adopted natural farming, either partially or fully, in almost all panchayats, the government said on Sunday.

The government focuses on exploring options for additional income generation for farmers, ensuring fair prices for their produce, providing quality seeds and expanding and strengthening irrigation facilities, besides providing crop insurance and promoting agricultural research.

In a first-of-its-kind decision, the government has promoted natural farming by providing a minimum support price (MSP) for various crops grown through this method.

Last year, an MSP of Rs 30 per kg was fixed for maize. This decision brought cheers to the faces of farmers and motivated them towards adopting chemical-free farming on a large scale. The government further increased the MSP for maize from Rs 30 to Rs 40 per kg in 2025-26. So far, the government has procured around 400 metric tonnes of maize from 1,509 farmers at the MSP.

Similarly, the procurement process for wheat is ongoing in the state, and it is being procured at an MSP of Rs 60 per kg.

Seeing the response of the farmer for opting for natural farming, the government has further announced an MSP of Rs 90 on raw turmeric. From this fiscal, the government has decided to provide an MSP for raw turmeric that will be processed and marketed under the brand name 'Himachal Haldi'.

The government has set a target to connect 9.61 lakh farmers with natural farming in phases.

To facilitate the sale of produce from natural farming, designated spaces are being developed in 10 market yards with the necessary infrastructure. Under the Prakritik Kheti Khushal Yojana, in 2023–24 and 2024-25, an expenditure of Rs 27.60 crore has been incurred, and for the current financial year, a Budget of Rs 7.28 crore has been allocated.

A high-level committee at the state level, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, has been formed to provide valuable guidance under the scheme.

The implementation and monitoring are being done by a special task force headed by the Chief Secretary.

To further encourage farmers to adopt natural farming, the government is providing various types of subsidies, including Rs 750 per drum up to a maximum of Rs 2,250 for the purchase of drums.

An assistance of Rs 8,000 is being given for the construction of a concrete floor in cowsheds and for building a pit to collect cow urine.

A subsidy of 50 per cent up to a maximum of Rs 25,000 is being provided for the purchase of indigenous cows, with an additional provision of Rs 5,000 for their transportation.

Another advantage of natural farming is zero-budget farming. The minimal input costs increase farmers' income, leading to a significant improvement in their standard of living.

Crops grown using natural methods are more nutritious, and the absence of chemicals helps preserve the soil's fertility and quality as well.

--IANS

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