The Haryana Government has initiated the process to prepare the farmers to adopt new concepts like peri-urban agriculture, climate–smart agriculture and give impetus to adoption of organic farming and micro irrigation, besides marketing and branding of agricultural products, State Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, OP Dhankar, said on Saturday.
Dhankar, who was addressing a news conference here, said that the 2nd agri-leadership summit being organised at Surajkund from March 18 to 20 would provide an apt platform to focus on issues like doubling of farmer’s income, soil health, A2 Milk production dairying, acquaculture and agro industries.
The Minister emphasised the need to have an effective chain right from cultivation to packing, branding and marketing and quoted an example saying that in case of sale of potato chips, the farmer is ignored whereas being a grower of potatoes, he should also be an important factor in this chain. The Government can be a facilitator to purchase the produce, adding that it fixes the Minimum Support Price.
Dhankar said there were progressive farmers who not only cultivate crops but have also formed their own brands for their agro products and are also engaged in their marketing. Such farmers being real agri-leaders have been invited to the summit to inspire others.
The State Government is following the concept of Peri-urban agriculture as he had seen in Bejing where farmers do cultivation to meet the needs of adjoining cities. Agricultural products being perishable, have a short life. Therefore, the farmers must cultivate need based crops in areas adjoining cities. Emphasis is being laid on bringing 25 per cent of the cultivable area under horticulture. Apart from a modern vegetable mandi, a flower mandi is also being developed, he added.
The Minister said that in milk production, Haryana can excel by promoting dairy farming as a profession and adopting some new means.
In reply to a question he said that the State Government is keen to set up a processing unit for horticulture crops and a mandi of frozen products so as to facilitate the sale of agro products in off season.
About the first Agri-leadership Summit organised by Haryana, he said that it was visited by about three lakh farmers and hoped that the second summit would attract more farmers. He said the Governor, Kaptan Singh Solanki, Chief Minister, Manohar lal would attend. Others including Union Ministers have also been invited to grace the occasion.