Hisar, Jun 5 (PTI) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini Thursday announced the establishment of natural and organic mandis in Gurugram and Hisar to promote natural farming on a large scale in the state.
The Gurugram mandi will cater to produce such as wheat, paddy and pulses, while the Hisar mandi will focus on fruits and vegetables grown through natural and organic methods.
In addition, a committee will be formed under the Haryana Kisan Kalyan Pradhikaran to determine fair pricing for produce grown using natural and organic farming practices.
The Chief Minister made these announcements while addressing the natural farming conference, organised on the occasion of World Environment Day at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar.
He further announced financial support of Rs 20,000 for each farmer for branding and packaging of natural farming products.
Dedicated laboratories will also be established to test produce from natural and organic farming. These labs will offer testing services free of cost to farmers, he said.
Saini also announced that 53 acres of land belonging to the Agriculture Department in Block Pundri, district Kaithal, will be leased to farmers engaged in natural farming through an auction process.
He also said that in every panchayat, 10 per cent of panchayat land or at least one acre will be reserved exclusively for natural farming.
This land will be allotted only to landless farmers via auction, he said.
As an additional incentive, those who will practice natural farming on government or panchayat land will also receive Rs 3,000 per farmer for purchasing four drums used in storing and processing raw materials under the Natural Farming Scheme, an official statement said.
On World Environment Day, people across the globe are pledging to conserve air, water and soil, and exploring ways to make them pollution-free, Saini said.
In this context, he emphasised that natural farming offers a sustainable solution to these pressing environmental challenges.
He added that natural farming will not only provide a new direction to agriculture in Haryana but also serve as an inspiration for the entire country.
Saini said that while India is now self-sufficient in food grain production, this achievement has come at a significant cost.
The excessive use of chemical fertilisers has led to the pollution of land, water and air, he said.
To ensure a healthier and more empowered future for the coming generations, he stressed the need to transition towards natural farming practices.
Highlighting government efforts, the Chief Minister said the Natural Farming Scheme was launched in Haryana in 2022, with an initial allocation of Rs 97 crore, which is being progressively increased each year.
A dedicated portal for natural farming has also been developed.
As of now, around 1,84,665 farmers have registered 2,73,955 acres of land on the portal. Of these, 10,550 farmers have been verified for practising natural farming on 17,087 acres, he said.
A target has been set to bring one lakh acres of land under natural farming in Haryana during the 2025-26 financial year, he added.
To support the adoption of natural farming, training centres have been established at Gurukul in Kurukshetra, Hameti in Jind, Mangiana in Sirsa, and Gharaunda in Karnal. A state advisor has also been appointed to provide training to progressive farmers at the Gurukul Kurukshetra centre.
On the occasion, Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat addressed the farmers here and said adopting natural farming is now the need of the hour to steer the country towards sustainable agriculture.
Highlighting the adverse effects of chemical farming, he said that the excessive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides is degrading soil fertility and severely impacting human health, contributing to the rising incidence of diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart ailments.
Devvrat said natural farming not only yields nutritious and chemical-free crops but also preserves soil health, supports water conservation, and significantly reduces input costs.
He assured the farmers that, contrary to popular belief, crop production does not decline under natural farming methods. Instead, it leads to higher income for farmers while ensuring that consumers receive safe and healthy food.
The governor said natural farming is not merely an alternative, rather it is the future.
He called for a collective and strategic approach to break free from the harmful cycle of chemical farming and to build a healthier, more prosperous India for future generations. PTI SUN SHW
/newsdrum-in/media/member_avatars/9Rj3p38eDEeibqzKtTLR.jpg )
Follow Us/newsdrum-in/media/agency_attachments/2025/01/29/2025-01-29t072616888z-nd_logo_white-200-niraj-sharma.jpg){kind=logo}
