A quiet revolution is transforming the agricultural landscape in Himachal Pradesh, empowering farmers and strengthening the rural economy. With its innovative policies and unwavering commitment to sustainable farming, the Himachal Pradesh government has set a new benchmark for the nation.
A spokesman here said among its path-breaking initiatives, the decision to fix the highest support price for wheat and maize stands out as a milestone, which is ensuring financial security for farmers and promoting natural farming practices.
Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in India to purchase wheat at ₹40 per Kilogram and Maize at ₹30 per kilogram from farmers practicing natural farming. This bold step not only uplifts farmers financially but also champions eco-friendly agricultural practices.
"The government has procured 398 metric tonnes of naturally grown maize from 1,508 farmers so far. A total of ₹1.19 crore has been directly transferred to their bank accounts through the DBT ( Direct Benefit Transfer) system. To promote natural farming, the government has launched the Him Bhog-Him Makki Atta in the market," he said.
He said the farmers are further assured of a stable income, with a commitment to purchase up to 20 quintals of maize from each family growing produce through natural farming.
The spokesman said the government’s vision extends beyond immediate relief, as demonstrated by the launch of the Rajiv Gandhi Natural Farming Start-up Yojana as part of the Rs. 680 crore Rajiv Gandhi Start-up Scheme. This scheme is also integrating agriculture with employment generation.
This year alone, 36,000 new farmers would be associated with natural farming, adding to the 1.98 lakh farmers already practicing this non-chemical farming on over 35,000 hectares of land in the state. Free certification has been provided to 1.50 lakh farmers, reinforcing the state government’s commitment to making natural farming a commercially viable model.
"As part of its holistic approach to rural empowerment, the government recently launched a Rs. 1,292 crore scheme for horticulture and irrigation projects across seven districts. In parallel, infrastructure is being developed in 10 market yards to facilitate the sale of natural farming products which is providing farmers with better access to markets and ensuring fair prices for their produce," he said.
The spokesman said Himachal Pradesh’s pioneering initiatives also extend to the dairy sector. Himachal has become the first state in India to fix a minimum support price for milk, increasing rates to Rs. 45 per litre for cow milk and Rs. 55 per litre for buffalo milk. A state-of-the-art milk processing plant with a capacity of 50,000 liters per day has been inaugurated in Datt Nagar, benefitting over 20,000 dairy farmers.
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