New Delhi, July 25
Steel magnate Lakshmi N. Mittal today indicated that he may invest in institutions promoting organic farming in Punjab.
“We are not looking at investment in organic farming as such, but may invest in institutions promoting organic farming,” Mittal, who was here in connection with Bhatinda Refinery, told The Tribune.
Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal held a meeting with Mittal. He told this correspondent that he had urged the former to invest in the development of organic farming in the state.
“We are keen that investment flows into organic farming in the state. I have urged him (Mittal) to invest in the organic farming sector,” Badal said.
A recent agriculture ministry document has pointed out that organic soil carbon and nitrogen is lower in as much as 62 per cent and medium in 37 per cent of the soil samples tested from the 37 districts of Punjab and Haryana in 2006-07.
Wheat producing areas were found to be deficient in manganese, which leads to low yield. Iron deficiency has been recorded in areas producing rice, oilseeds and sugarcane. Many pockets deficient in potassium, zinc and sulphur have also been identified.
“The depletion of organic carbon in soil of Punjab and Haryana needs to be arrested and restored. This is possible by using traditional wisdom with modern technology,” Excel Crop Care Limited vice-president (marketing) Anil Kakkar said.
“Since time immemorial farmers have been making use of different kinds of organic manures to restore the balance of nutrients. Farmers must resort to farm yard manure (FYM) made from plant, animal and human residues,” Kakkar, whose company has recently launched CELRICH, a bioorganic soil enricher, said.
“Bulky organic manure like compost generated from urban waste must also extensively be used to replenish the soil humus status and optimise the activities of micro-organisms,” he said.
