Encourage farmers to adopt organic farming: MP CM tells officials

Bhopal, Oct 7 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Tuesday directed various officials to encourage farmers to adopt natural and organic farming and provide them with all possible support.

Chief Minister said that Madhya Pradesh’s economy is primarily an agrarian economy, and the government’s core objective is to promote natural and organic farming and to increase acreage under horticultural crops compared to traditional crops.

Yadav emphasised that rural youth should become agricultural entrepreneurs in the coming years, and collective efforts are needed to achieve this. He noted that transitioning farming toward organic methods is a major challenge, but one that must be overcome.

He also stressed to pursuit of the goal of promoting Shree Anna (millets) and continuously increasing their production through concrete measures. The Chief Minister said that farmers should be encouraged to shift from conventional farming to income-generating activities such as horticulture, dairy production, and fisheries.

"Madhya Pradesh already produces large quantities of bananas, oranges, tomatoes, and other horticultural crops, which should be processed locally and marketed more effectively. Collectors are instructed to motivate at least 100 farmers for natural farming, maintain records, and study the benefits derived," he said while addressing a conference of district Collectors, Commissioners and Superintendents of Police in Bhopal.

Yadav instructed that fertiliser use be managed strictly on a scientific basis and controlled where it is excessive. He directed collectors to ensure that weekly local markets promote the sale of produce grown through natural and organic methods.

During the conference, Collectors from five districts presented exemplary agricultural and horticultural initiatives. They include Guna: Rose cluster development. Harda: Promotion of natural and organic farming. Shajapur: Token system for fertiliser distribution. Sheopur: Effective crop residue management. Khandwa: Successful operation of cow shelters (Gaushalas).

During his address, the Chief Minister also praised rose cultivation in Guna district as a progressive initiative and suggested promoting rose farming in all religious towns to meet local demand.

He also directed close monitoring of soybean auction rates in agricultural markets.

--IANS

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