Himachal govt to declare support price for potato soon: Sukhu

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said the state government would announce a support price for purchase of potatoes shortly apart from setting up a Rs 20 crore potato-processing plant in Una district.

The Chief Minister chaired the state-level multi-stakeholder consultative conference organised by Himachal Pradesh Revitalising Rainfed Agriculture Network here today.

“The state government is constantly striving to strengthen the rural economy and a support price for potato would be soon declared to support the farmers,” he said.

Sukhu said the state government was promoting green energy and natural farming in a big way. “Minimum support price has already been fixed for crops produced through natural farming and it would be further increased in the coming time,” he said.

Highlighting the importance of natural farming, he said that many new schemes would be implemented in the coming year to boost the rural economy.

Sukhu said that after the North-Eastern states of the country, the highest increase in cancer cases had been witnessed in Himachal Pradesh. Efforts were on to find out the root cause. Change in food habits could also be a main reason for rise in cancer cases, he added.

The Chief Minister said that 80 per cent of the state’s population depends on agriculture for livelihood and this sector contributes 14 per cent to the state’s GDP. He expressed concern over the changing pattern of weather which was adversely affecting the agriculture sector.

“This challenge of climate change could be faced effectively by taking steps like climate-tolerant agriculture, promotion of pulses, extensive animal husbandry, more use of traditional seeds, laying emphasis on water security and soil conservation,” he added.

Sukhu said traditional seeds and crops grown through natural farming were rich in nutrition and also required less water. “We need to reuse such traditional crops and these had to be further improved through research to ensure nutritious food and clean environment to the future generations,” he said.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister also released a book based on the experiences of natural farming. He praised the farmers engaged in natural farming and also detailed the efforts being made by the state government in promoting this system of agriculture.

Padma Shri awardee Nek Ram Sharma apprised the Chief Minister about the conference and discussed the importance of millets along with conservation of water, forest and land.

MLA Harish Janartha, Padma Shri awardee Hariman, agriculture expert Dr Sabyasachi Das, agriculture experts, senior officials of the Agriculture Department, stakeholders and representatives of the agricultural university were present.