Shimla: Himachal Pradesh,
whose economy largely banks on agriculture and horticulture, aims to
develop bio villages by promoting organic farming. The state is also
eyeing investment in cold chains. An additional 2,000 hectares will be
brought under organic farming and there are plans to develop 200
bio-villages in the next fiscal, a government spokesperson told IANS. He
said farmers in the bio-villages would use only bio-fertilizers and
bio-pesticides and discourage the use of chemical fertilizers and
pesticide for cultivating vegetables and fruits.
For meeting the
demand of organic manure, the government in its budget for 2017-18 has
proposed to set up 20,000 vermi-compost units with 50 per cent
assistance to the farmers. To promote organic farming, Chief Minister
Virbhadra Singh presenting the state Budget 2017-18 on March 8 said the
best three organic farmers would be awarded Rs 3 lakh, Rs 2 lakh and Rs 1
lakh respectively. More than 36,000 farmers are already cashing in on
the high demand and remunerative prices of organic food — be it fruits,
vegetables or pulses, the spokesperson said.
Agriculture is the
mainstay of people in the hill state, providing direct employment to 69
per cent population. To ensure balanced use of nutrients, the state’s
soil health cards scheme is in operation. Over four lakh soil cards have
been issued to the farmers. Interestingly, farmers in Himachal
Pradesh’s landlocked valleys like Pangi in Chamba district and Dodra
Kwar in Shimla district have never used pesticides and fertilisers for
growing crops.
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