State has failed to promote organic farming: Expert

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 7

Punjab has failed miserably to promote organic farming the way it should have been promoted, said Chairman of the Punjab State Farmers and Farm Workers Commission Ajay Vir Jakhar here on Friday.

He was speaking on the sidelines of a seminar on “Role of agrochemicals for sustainable agriculture enhancing farmers’ productivity sustainably”.

Jakhar said the state government had failed to create a special cell exclusively for mapping the progress of farmers in organic farming and providing them expert guidance. Organic farming here largely was an individual effort of the farmers. Agrochemicals did have a role in assisting agriculture produce. However, the healthy option of organic farming could not be ignored.

Jakhar asked representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to pass a law to make Quick Response (QR) code mandatory on all agrochemicals. It will help in tracking the product details of the agrochemicals, time of expiry and the details of the makers along with a line tracking document. There were a sizable number of sellers who sold product that had no marking and was substandard.

Dr SK Malhotra, Agriculture Commissioner, advised the farmers about the importance of safe and judicious use of agrochemicals.