Crop diversification, organic farming need of hour: Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar

Tribune News Service

Bhiwani, August 21

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar laid the foundation stone of a regional research centre of Maharana Pratap Horticulture University in Kharkari village and Haryana Animal Science Centre at Bahal village in Bhiwani district today.

2,804 growers keen on organic farming

The state government is promoting organic farming and a farmer who adopts organic farming will get Rs 25,000 for a desi cow. A total of 2,804 farmers have registered themselves for organic farming. — Manohar Lal Khattar, CM

The CM also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 16 projects, costing about Rs 224.56 crore, in various villages of the district during his visit.

Addressing a public meeting in Loharu town, the CM said the Haryana Government had started action to control the lumpy skin disease (LSD) and around three lakh vaccines had been received for these animals and vaccination work was being done on a war-footing so that every cattle was vaccinated within a week. He said 28,000 cattle had got affected due to the LSD so far in the state.

He said the state government had set a target to make Haryana number one in milk production. The CM said, along with animal husbandry, the state government was working in the direction of upgrading the horticulture sector as well. The CM said the state government was promoting organic farming and a farmer who adopted organic farming would get Rs 25,000 for a desi cow, adding that 2,804 farmers had registered themselves for organic farming.

“The farmers need to change as per the requirements and the state government is also encouraging the farmers to go for the crops which reduce the cost, require less water, protect the environment get the best quality products and provide good income to the farmers

Thanking the gram panchayat of Kharkhari village, which has provided 120 acres for the regional research centre, the CM said the first instalment of Rs 39 crore had been released for the construction of this centre. “It will be ready in two years where research related to horticulture farming will be carried out for improved and hybrid varieties.”

The CM said the Animal Science Centre in Behal would be ready in two years on 9.4 acres and at a cost of about Rs 9 crore. The canter would prove to be very useful for livestock farmers, he added.

Khattar said the share of horticulture and animal husbandry were increasing in the agriculture sector in the state due to stress on diversification of crops. “At present, 7 per cent of the total cropped area of Haryana is under horticulture. We have a target to increase this area to 15 per cent by 2030. We have undertaken many new initiatives to achieve this target,” he said.

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