Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced on Saturday that the state government will soon introduce maize flour produced through natural farming under the brand name ‘Himbhog’.
He shared that over 4,000 quintals of maize had been procured from 1,506 farmer families practicing natural farming in the state, excluding the Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur districts.
The highest amount of maize was procured from Solan district (1,140 quintals), followed by Chamba (810 quintals) and Mandi (650 quintals).
Sukhu also highlighted that Himachal Pradesh is the first state in India to offer the highest minimum support price (MSP) for wheat and maize.
The state government is providing Rs 40 per kg for wheat and Rs 30 per kg for maize produced through natural farming. He added that the government is promoting natural farming across 35,000 hectares, benefiting nearly 2 lakh farmers.
The Chief Minister noted that free certification had been given to over 1.5 lakh farmers, and an additional 36,000 farmers are being linked to natural farming.
To make it easier for farmers to sell their produce, the government has strengthened infrastructure at 10 mandis for marketing natural farming products.
Sukhu also mentioned that the government is focusing on creating employment opportunities in agriculture through the third phase of the Rajiv Gandhi Start-Up Yojana, with a budget of Rs 680 crore.
He emphasised the importance of agriculture and horticulture in the state’s economy, pointing out that about 90 per cent of the state's population lives in rural areas, and initiatives are needed to strengthen the rural economy.
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