Necessary information will be provided to farmers in 95 development blocks and 670 Nyaya Panchayats as part of the Krishi Mahotsav Rabi 2015 which will be held from October 25. Officials of the Agriculture and Horticulture departments should execute their responsibilities efficiently to ensure the desired level of development of farmers and agriculture in Uttarakhand. The State Agriculture minister Harak Singh Rawat said this while chairing a meeting on the support price of local traditional crops and the Krishi Mahotsav here on Tuesday.
The Minister said that as part of the Krishi Mahotsav, farmers will be provided latest information on various aspects of agriculture including agricultural pests, animal husbandry, cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants, apiculture, dairy, horticulture and floriculture among other aspects in the presence of scientists. The MPs, MlAs, District Panchayat members, Gram Pradhans and other public representatives should also be invited to Krishi Mahotsav programme which will be inaugurated by the chief minister Harish Rawat. The minister further said that officials of the departments concerned should coordinate efforts to ensure that farmers derive the intended benefit.
After discussion on support price of traditional crops, the support price was set at Rs 16 per kg for category A malta and Rs 13 per kg for category B malta. Adding the Rs 2 per kg bonus announced by the chief minister, the support price for finger millet (Mandua) was set at Rs 20 per kg. Similarly the minimum support price finalised for other traditional crops is Rs 16 per kg for Jhangora, Rs 26 per kg for black Bhatt and Rs 22.50 kg for Ramdana (amaranth) while a bonus of Rs 5 per kg was also approved for dried pahadi red chili.
The minister also directed agriculture additional secretary and horticulture director to ensure proper arrangements for the exhibition of organic products from Uttarakhand to be organised in Mumbai onOctober 26-27. The minister said that the exhibition was aimed at publicising and establishing the market identity of apples cultivated in Uttarakhand and providing a good marketing platform for the State’s organic products. Various organic products of Uttarakhand will be exhibited on a no-profit, no-loss basis. The minister also pointed out the rising trend of people adopting organic food and stressed on the need for more focus on organic agriculture. Agriculture principal secretary S Ramaswami, additional secretary Tikam Singh Panwar, director Gauri Shankar and officials of departments concerned were also among those present in the meeting.