Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has directed that a campaign should be launched to catch sellers of spurious seeds and fertilisers and send them to jail. He directed to make farmers aware about climatic changes, apprehension of Al Nino and advise them to grow crops as per crop cycle change. The Chief Minister reviewed activities of Agriculture Department here on Thursday.
It was informed in the meeting that Madhya Pradesh is on the top in the country in several sectors including agriculture production and engineering. Agriculture Minister Gaurishankar Bisen and Chief Secretary Anthony DeSa were also present on the occasion.
Enumerating achievements of farming in Madhya Pradesh, it was informed that farmers in Hoshangabad and Harda districts alone have grown `1,500 crore moong crops. This year, maximum tractors in the country have been sold in Madhya Pradesh. Production of paddy, maize, soybean and cotton in Madhya Pradesh is more than national average.
Chouhan directed that farmers should be made aware of useful farm techniques and new inventions. Farmers should be made aware of requirement of per hectare seeds and modern techniques about taking more yields and ensuring quality of product. Agriculture budget should be presented separately. Better marketing arrangements should be made for fruits and vegetables grown by farmers. One Rural Business Centre should be formed on every 15 villages. Work to provide soil testing cards should be done as a movement. Every farmer must have this card. Strict action should be taken against sellers of spurious seeds and fertilisers. Subsidy schemes for farmers should be monitored constantly.
Chouhan directed to associate maximum number of farmers with one-month Agriculture Festival which will get underway in the State from September 15. Farm production and development should be turned into a mass movement. Cooperation of motivators should be taken in this. During the festival period, campaign should be launched to inter-link agriculture and food processing. Through this, State’s agriculture scenario can be changed. A committee comprising Agriculture Production Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary Finance should suggest making Agriculture Insurance Scheme more practical.
A time-bound programme should be chalked out to develop land available in Chambal ravines as farmlands. Outlets for selling organic farming products should be opened in major cities.
It was also informed that Madhya Pradesh is on top in the country in organic products. In Hoshangabad and Harda districts of the state, 3.84 lakh MT moong has been grown in 1.73 lakh hectare. Moong area in the State has increased from 1.35 lakh hectare to 2.81 lakh hectare. This year, a target has been set to double moong production. This year, 87,000 tractors have been sold in the State, which is maximum in the country.
During year 2013-14, agriculture growth rate in Madhya Pradesh was 11.08 percent. Madhya Pradesh is first in the country in the production of pulses, oilseeds, gram and soybean and second in mustard. Till May 27, as much as 85.99 lakh MT wheat has been procured in the State, which is 17.75 lakh MT more than last year. Rural youths have established 287 custom hiring centres in the state who make available agriculture appliances to farmers on hire. A scheme has been chalked out to establish 10 agro polytechnics in Madhya Pradesh. Under Mukhyamantri Khet-Tirth Yojana, 51 state-level and other district level Khet-Tirths have been identified. As many as 16,000 farmers will be taken on tour to these demonstrative fields.
The Chief Minister directed that scheme should be chalked out to develop fallow land. Motivate farmers to grow pulses on the periphery of fields. Scientific methods should be used to ensure that crops of pulse suffer minimum damage. Efforts should be made to ensure that farmers get better quality seeds and fertilisers. Make efforts to double the production of moong during next summer.