Naturally-grown maize of 40 farmers procured at Fatehpur

As many as 40 farmers from the region sold their naturally-grown maize at a four-day procurement drive launched by the Agriculture Department in collaboration with the Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA) at a centre set up at Fatehpur in Kangra district.

The drive organised to promote natural farming of cereals and ensure remunerative price to farmers for their yield ended last week. The farmers evinced interest in selling their maize crop grown through natural farming at this special procurement centre from November 15 to19.

As per information, 40 farmers from the Nurpur, Indora, Fatehpur and Nagrota Surian agriculture department blocks brought their naturally-grown maize to the procurement centre and sold it directly to the Agriculture Department without any middleman. The ATMA project team had already contacted the farmers and sensitised them about the process of the procurement of their yield.

The farmers were given Rs 40 per kg of maize, besides Rs 2 as transport expenses for bringing the produce to the procurement centre. The Agriculture Department through the ATMA project procured 137.72 quintals of maize in the four-day drive. SDM, Fatehpur, Vishut Bharti and ATMA Deputy Project Director Amit Sharma opened the procurement of naturally-grown maize.