TTD keen on to support cow-based natural farmers

Tirupati: TTD is keen on supporting cow-based natural farmers and is readying to procure only organic products for its entire requirements, including food offerings to deities and for making prasadams for devotees in its shrines, said TTD executive officer A V Dharma Reddy.

Speaking at a cow-based natural farming farmers (Go Adharitha Prakruthi Vyavasayam) meeting convened by TTD here on Friday, the EO reminded that TTD first procured only one organic product – Bengal gram and gradually increased it to 12 organic food products now. "We are ready to switch over to organic products for our entire requirements provided farmers can supply them," he said.

Dwelling at length on the steps being TTD taken up to encourage the farmers following natural farming, he said 2,000 bulls, each worth Rs 2 lakh and cows each worth about Rs 50,000 to 60,000 were given away free of cost only to see that more and more farmers take up cow-based natural farming.

This apart, the EO informed that TTD is paying 15 per cent more than the market price for the organic products purchased from farmers and also bearing transport, milling and storage expenses, costing another 15 per cent. In other words, TTD is paying about 30 per cent excess than non-organic products only to support organic farmers. TTD except nothing from farmers except quality and no chicanery in the products i.e zero traces of chemicals or pesticides.

Reminding the tripartite agreement between Markfed, Rythu Sadhikara Samstha (RySS) and TTD, inked last year at the behest of Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy when he visited Tirumala for Brahmotsvams, he said vigorous efforts are on in coordination with Sadhikara Samstha for enrolling more number of farmers so as to increase organic food production to meet the total requirement of TTD.

In this connection, he said TTD first purchased 2,500 tonne of Bengal gram last year which increased to 16,000 tonne this year, including 12 products which were purchased only after tests conducted in nationally reputed ITC Laboratory.

RySS vice-chairman Vijayakumar said that RySS took up all the required measures to identify the organic farmers and also ensure them not to use any chemicals or pesticides in the natural farming which is limited to cow-based i.e. urine and dung as manure.

All the food grain samples collected from farmers before purchase also found in the tests pesticide and chemical free, revealing farmers not deviating from natural farming and surprising experts, he said.

Markfed managing director PS Pradyumna said every care has been taken to eliminate middlemen and also ensure transparency in the entire process of procurement and also payment which is directly transferred to farmers' bank account, within 15 days. For the benefit of the farmers, Markfed took the responsibility of transport, milling and sale to TTD, he added.

Select farmers from the 24 districts later had an interaction with Pradyumna, Vijayakumar and Dharma Reddy on various issues related to organic farming.