The Chhattisgarh Government with a view to bringing about a much higher value addition in the quality of crops grown in the State had commenced distribution of organic manure to the farmers for the Rabi season.
The target is to distribute 5.84 lakh packets of PSB/PSM, Rigobiom and Ejectobector to the farmers, officials stated.
About 1.58 lakh packets of organic manure had already been given away to the farmers.
Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agrawal on Wednesday said that steps are being taken to encourage the farmers to adopt organic far ing.
The organic fertilizer is supplied on the predetermined prices only to the farmers, he said.
A new green revolution is awaiting to take place in insurgency-infested Dantewada district of Bastar with local farmers increasingly adopting organic farming methods.
During the last two years, the number of farmers in taking to organic methods of cultivation in the district has increased from 300 to 1000 due to the constant support of the Chhattisgarh Government, officials stated.
The acerage under organic farming has also increased from 240 hectares to 700 hectares. The district administration has started ‘Mocho Baari’ (My Home) project for the farmers of Balood, Bhusaraas and four other villages.
As many as 450 farmers of the district have been felicitated recently by Goa based social organization named PGS Organic Council.
The per head average production of paddy in the district is increased as well. Earlier, it was about 15 to 20 quintals but now it is around 43 quintals.
The district administration is mulling to supply the locally grown organic rice to one of the malls in Raipur. Meanwhile, a group of organic farmers of the district have started selling their products in the market.
The administration is providing irrigational facilities to the farmers under the Mocho Baari scheme.
Chief Minister Raman Singh recently unveiled the organic rice brand ‘Aadim’ in this insurgency infested district at Javanga Village in Dantewada district.
Significantly, a group of farmers of the district are working on the production of the organically cultivated rice.
Singh while addressing a huge number of people at the village had stated that the efforts made on promoting education and organic farming in Dantewada district is now gaining popularity across the globe.
As many as 450 farmers engaged in organic farming were felicitated by the Chief Minister on the occasion.
Notably, the State Government's Agriculture Department has set the goal of distributing nearly 11 lakh metric tonnes of organic fertilizers to farmers this year.
As many as 19.58 lakh packets of organic fertilizer have also been distributed to farmers of state.
A State-level Monitoring cell was established at the Directorate of Agriculture in Raipur to keep track of the availability of basic ingredients for the Kharif season 2015.
The move was to ensure farmers are made available urea, seeds, high-quality farm implements, organic manure and other necessary material on time, officials stated.
Chief Minister Raman Singh on August 24 this year had directed officials to draw an action plan for operating a State-level ‘Food Processing Mission’ in the State.
The Food processing sector globally had been looking at using organic raw materials for making various products to ensure purity.
Chairing a meeting of the State Industry Department at the office in his residence in Raipur, the Chief Minister said that as per the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission, the State would run the ‘Food Processing Mission’ while using its own resources.
He said that the State government has made a provision of Rs 12 crore for launching the State-level ‘Food Processing Mission’.
Singh said that the launching of Mission would help farmers get better prices for their farm produce and also open new job avenues for youth in the Food Processing sector.
Officials attending the meeting said that Food Processing Sector in Chhattisgarh is being seen as a ‘focus sector’ to ensure industrial diversity.
It was also informed in the meeting that during the last six months as many as seven MoUs were signed for attracting industrial investment to the State.
Notably, Agriculture Service Centres have been established in every development block of the State from where the farmers are provided agricultural equipment on rent.
Chhattisgarh now has also set a target of promoting cultivation of vegetables in 4,425 hectares of land under National Horticulture Mission, officials stated.
An amount of `175 crore had been earmarked for implementing its Annual Plan 2015-16 under National Horticulture Mission in Chhattisgarh.
The annual plan was endorsed in a meeting of the 12th Working Committee of the State Horticulture Development Society chaired by Additional Chief Secretary of Agriculture Department Ajay Singh.
The plan comprises a target for cultivating vegetables in an area of 4,425 hectares for which a provision of `15.16 crore was proposed. A provision of `13.50 crore had been made to promote vegetable cultivation in the State.