Agriculture Minister urges farmers to adopt organic farming amid challenges in procuring fertilisers
Acknowledging challenges in procuring fertilisers from the international market, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has urged states and farmers to increasingly adopt organic farming as an alternative amid supply disruptions triggered by the West Asia crisis. He said that the government was making all possible effort to ensure fertiliser availability for farmers despite difficulties in global sourcing.
The minister stressed the need to prevent the diversion and misuse of subsidised fertilisers during the ongoing supply crunch. He said ‘we must ensure that subsidised fertilisers are not diverted to any other sector. At the same time, duplication and poor-quality fertilisers, which adversely affect crops and farmers, must also be checked. States should take stringent action wherever such irregularities are found.’ Further, farmers are advised to grow drought-resistant crops due to El Nino forecasts, which indicate a likelihood of deficient rainfall during the middle of the crop season.
Referring to the Union Cabinet's recent decision to approve Rs 41,000 crore towards fertiliser subsidies, he said the Centre remains committed to supporting farmers. Pitching for sustainable agriculture, he called upon farmers to adopt organic farming practices to preserve soil health for future generations. He said every farmer should begin organic farming on at least a portion of their land. He said the government is planning to introduce two new Bills aimed at strengthening the legal framework for ensuring the availability of quality pesticides and seeds.
