Taking another step to promote chemical-free natural farming under Rajiv Gandhi Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana, the state Agriculture Department started a sales centre for the natural farming products near the Directorate building in Boileauganj in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, last evening.
The centre was inaugurated by Agriculture Minister Professor Chander Kumar.
In his address, Professor Chander Kumar said the department needs to work out a marketing mechanism with the industry for the sale of the natural produce and products.
He said the government had started procuring naturally grown raw turmeric, maize, wheat and barley at the highest Minimum Support Price to promote natural farming in the state and strengthen the economy of farmers. He said the department can work out a link-up with the medicinal and cosmetic industry for selling raw turmeric.
Director, Agriculture, Dr Ravinder Singh Jasrotia briefed the Minister about the achievements under Rajiv Gandhi Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana and said presently 2,23,029 farmers are practising natural farming on 38,456 hectares of land in Himachal Pradesh. They are taking multiple crops from the same field with this non-chemical practice. Dr Jasrotia said such centres for natural farming products would be opened in other districts of the state also.
Additional Director, Agriculture and State Nodal Officer for Rajiv Gandhi Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana, Dr Suresh Kumar Sharma, Joint Director and other senior officers of the department were present on the occasion.
It is pertinent to mention that under the Rajiv Gandhi Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana, the naturally grown Maize, Wheat, Barley and raw Turmeric are being procured from the farmers, and proper branding and packaging are being done to sell chemical-free Maize flour, Wheat flour and Daliya in the market under the brand name Him Bhog.
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