Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Organic wheat farming receives govt backing, attracts growers by Charanjit Ahuja

Organic wheat farming receives govt backing, attracts growers by Charanjit Ahuja

Share this article Share this article
published Published on Jun 28, 2010   modified Modified on Jun 28, 2010

Over 11,000 acres of land has been brought under organic farming in Punjab and Haryana under a scheme sponsored by the Union Government. While 6,050 acres has so far come under organic farming in Punjab, Haryana too is not lagging behind as 5,000 acre has been brought under organic farming.

To promote organic farming in Punjab and Haryana, farmers are being provided technological inputs including training and farm-level advisory services according to standards set by the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), National Organic Programme (NOP) and the European Union (EU) for organic farming. The organic certification as per international standards is being done keeping in mind the domestic as well as exports markets.

OneCert, an internationally reputed organic certification agency approved by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda) has been appointed for certification.

Punjab’s forest minister Tikshan Sud said, “A model organic farm of over 577 acre has been set up in Ropar by the Organic Farming Council of Punjab for production, demonstration and training on organic farming and commercial vermicompost production.”

In neighbouring Haryana, Haryana State Cooperative Supply and Marketing Federation (Hafed) has initiated a holistic approach for promotion of organic farming in the state. Initially, the project targets 5,000 acre of around 1,000 farmers.

Haryana has also initiated a unique scheme under which consumers could book “desi wheat” at the time of sowing by paying a nominal booking amount. They can even visit the agriculture farms to observe the growth of organic crops at various stages.

Organic farming aims to use natural manure instead of synthetic fertilisers that enhance productivity for a short measure.

According to experts, Punjab and Haryana, the pioneers of “Green Revolution” lost their land fertility when valuable soil nutrients were destroyed due to excessive use of fertilisers and pesticides.

The new concept aims to help many small and marginal farmers who failed to adopt organic farming due to lack of technological awareness, high cost of certification and unavailability of ready market.

Haryana’s agriculture minister Paramvir Singh said, “The state, which was once called the ‘dust bowl’ has now turned into the ‘food grain bowl’ with the hard work of farmers and the innovative policies like promotion of organic farming by the government”.

Efforts by the two state governments are surely bringing results as organic wheat, already costlier than its ordinary counterpart, is doing exceptionally well in the markets.

Buyers of organic wheat are mainly from cities, the breed of new health conscious people. A majority of farmers, who grew organic wheat, are thus happy with sales and the turnaround in business.

Punjab has set up an organic council which aims to popularise organic farming with the twin purpose of “checking contamination of soil and food and arrest depletion of ground water and its contamination and in the process save health of humans and the live stock which is at stake in view of increasing use of pesticides”.

Hafed and Markfed have set up counters across the states to sell desi wheat which is currently priced at Rs 120 for a 5-kg bag, much more than regular wheat sold in mandis. The Punjab government has even opened an outlet, Five Rivers Shop, at Hauz Khas in Delhi.


The Financial Express, 28 June, 2010, http://www.financialexpress.com/news/organic-wheat-farming-receives-govt-backing-attracts-growers/639112/0


Related Articles

 

Write Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Video Archives

Archives

share on Facebook
Twitter
RSS
Feedback
Read Later

Contact Form

Please enter security code
      Close