The Chhattisgarh Government in now targetting to become not just an ‘organic farming State’ but also one that produces quality vegetables and other farm produce.
The State Government Agriculture Department officials had given a target of producing 10.36 lakh quintal ‘certified seeds’ of various crops to the Chhattisgarh State Seeds and Agriculture Development Corporation in the current Kharif season, officials informed.
The Corporation had geared up for the production of seeds. The seeds will be produced in the agricultural lands of farmers and Chhattisgarh Seeds and Agriculture Development Corporation owned farm lands.
Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agrawal informed that the seeds produced in the current Kharif season will be distributed to farmers as per their demands in the next Kharif season in 2017.
Chhattisgarh State Seeds and Agriculture Development Corporation Chairperson Shyam Bais said that the application forms for registration of the seeds' producing farmers are available at the Seeds Centres in the villages.
Notably, last month, Agrawal had issued directives to officials for chalking out a detailed action plan for making Dantewada an 'Organic Farming District' in Bastar.
He said that at first, action plan for first three years should be made.
In the district-level review meeting held at conference hall of Jila Panchayat Dantewada last month during his visit under lok Suraaj Abhiyan, Agrawal said that action plan should be made based on the geographical conditions, weather and other facts related to organic farming. During the next five years, the entire agricultural area of the district would be covered by organic farming practices.
The Minister said that just like Sikkim, Dantewada will also be converted into an 'Organic District'.
In Sikkim, not only the way of farming is organic but also the works related to animal husbandry and fishery is done in organic manner. Dantewada also has great scope for organic farming, he said.
It requires training of the farmers here at first and then development of market for the products made by them, the Minister said.
Agrawal said that there are certain organisations that are working for training farmers in organic farming and marketing their products at a good price. These organizations may help in implementation of the action plan. Besides organic farming, promotion of fruit and vegetable cultivation is also necessary and Horticulture has important part to play in promoting this kind of cultivation.