Keep close contact with scientists, farmers told

Tribune News Service

Karnal, March 11

Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh yesterday exhorted farmers to remain in close contact with scientists for enhancing farm profit.

He was chairing the ‘Swarn Jayanti Kisan Mela’ at the Central Soil Salinity Research Institute (CSSRI) here. He urged them to adopt sustainable crop intensification practices to improve crop yield.

Counting the schemes of the Union government for farmers, he said it had initiated Mera Gaon, Mera Gaurav, Soil Health Card Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayi Yojana and Rashtriya Gokul Mission for sustainable agricultural development.

He urged farmers of the region to gradually switch over to crops like pulses and oilseeds and place greater focus on allied sectors like horticulture, fish cultivation and dairy farming for handsome returns.

He insisted on farmers contacting research institutes and KVKs in their respective districts to get soil health cards prepared for optimum nutrient management, sustainable soil health and higher returns.

The minister lauded the efforts of the CSSRI in reviving productivity of about 2 million hectares of barren salt-affected land in different parts of the country. He exuded confidence that efforts would be made to bring additional salt-affected land under cultivation.

He felicitated 21 innovative farmers and some stakeholders on the occasion. The mobile-based app ‘salinity expert’, developed by the institute, was launched by the minister.

Dr PC Sharma, Director, CSSRI, said technologies such as gypsum-based package, sub-surface drainage and salt-tolerant varieties of rice, wheat and mustard had been instrumental in reclaiming and enhancing productivity of about 20 lakh hectares.