Agriculture department to promote natural farming

Guntur: Agriculture department is giving top priority to nature farming to reduce cost of cultivation and to bring more land under nature farming. As a part of this programme, the Agriculture Department officials decided to encourage the farmers to start nature farming in 26 clusters in Guntur district in the kharif. Similarly, it will encourage the farmers to adopt nature farming in other districts also.

Highlights:

• To encourage farmers to adopt the method of cultivation in 26 clusters in Guntur district
• Natural farming expert Subhash Palekar to conduct training programme for farmers at Narasaraopet tomorrow

During the last year, they encouraged farmers to cultivate various crops in 10 clusters in the district on pilot basis. As the demand for organic food is increasing, the government has decided to bring more under nature farming during the kharif and issued orders.

According to official sources, the Agriculture Department has decided to bring more farmers under the nature farming. Like last year, they will conduct motivation classes to the farmers and explain benefits of nature farming including less expenditure required for cultivation.

The department is distributing cows to farmers on subsidy to use cow dung as fertiliser. The officials will guide the farmers on how to cultivate the crops under the nature farming.

European countries are rejecting Guntur chillies, because they contain more fertiliser residues. When the foreign countries are rejecting local chillies even after the lab test reports, the traders are getting disappointed. When there are no export orders, the demand for chillies is falling. If the traders get export orders, the farmers will get a better price.

State Assembly Speaker Dr Kodela Sivaprasada Rao took the initiative to boost nature farming in the State. Following the initiative taken by him, natural farming expert Subhash Palekar will interact with farmers who are ready to take up the farming method on June 13 at Dr Kodela Sivaprasada Rao Stadium at Narasaraopet and clear their doubts on nature farming.

He will also explain significance of nature farming to the farmers. Agriculture Marketing Department is selling organic brinjals and organic vegetables at the Rythu Bazaars.

Joint Director of Agriculture, Guntur district, VDV Krupa Das said, "During the kharif this year, we will encourage the farmers to cultivate crops under nature farming in 26 clusters. The farmers have already cultivated crops under nature farming in 10 clusters during the last year. This year, another 16 clusters will be added.”

He said apart from the awareness programme being conducted by Subhash Palekar, agriculture scientists too will give suggestions to farmers on natural farming.