Awareness camp on organic farming

Hoshiarpur, September 22

A state-level training and awareness camp was organised for the farmers regarding the benefits and proper use of organic fertilisers at the biofertiliser production laboratory, horticulture estate, Chhawni Kalan. As many as 105 persons, including deputy directors, assistant directors, horticulture development officers and technical staff of the horticulture department, from all the districts of the state participated in the camp.

Principal scientists from All India Research Council, India’s foremost research institute, New Delhi, Dr Loveleen Shukla and Dr Archana Suman, gave information about virtual organic fertilisers. Dr Shukla shed light on Pusa decomposer and mycorrhiza. Similarly, Dr Archana Suman gave detailed information about the use of azotobacter, phosphorus solubilising bacteria, zinc solubilising bacteria and potash solubilising bacteria, etc. and its benefits to the landowners. Assistant director horticulture, Citrus Estate, Bhunga (Hariana), Jaspal Singh, appealed the estates to extend the facilities provided to the farmers by the estates, to maximum number of farmers.

Horticulture development officer-cum-in charge Vikram Sharma informed that this lab was the first government sector biofertiliser production laboratory to prepare organic fertilisers in the state. It was inaugurated by Horticulture and Food Processing Minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra on February 3. He said the lab was built at a cost of Rs 2.50 crore with funds received under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY). He said that organic fertilisers prepared in this lab have better results in the field in terms of number and quality of organisms than organic fertilisers prepared by many private sector companies. He said the use of chemical fertilisers could be reduced by up to 20 per cent with organic fertilisers. Apart from this, soil, water and air can also be protected from contamination and the yield and health of the soil can be improved.

Assistant director horticulture, Citrus Estate, Chhawni, Hoshiarpur, Balwinder Singh informed that at present 15,000 bottles were ready in the laboratory and as per the orders of director horticulture, Punjab, bottles will be distributed to different districts and horticultural estates.

Assistant director horticulture Harpreet Singh, head office Mohali, said that organic fertilisers were a great initiative for organic farming and farmers should make maximum use of them.

Deputy director horticulture Jaswinder Singh said there was a need to reduce costs in agriculture and therefore according to a report by the soil/leaf testing laboratory, the use of organic fertilisers by farmers will increase the yield and quality of the soil as well. He said these two facilities were being provided by the horticulture department through laboratories established at Citrus Estate, Hoshiarpur.