Bhopal, Nov 2 The organic and natural farming, adopted by Guna farmers in Madhya Pradesh, has turned out to be a boon for farmers.
Organic farming has turned the agricultural enterprises into profitable ones and is proving to be instrumental in helping spike up the income of farmers exponentially, as envisaged by the Prime Minister.
As the dreams of farmers are coming true, they are increasingly adopting this modern practice of organic farming.
The Guna district administration, in collaboration with the Horticulture and Agriculture Department, launched an initiative to organise an organic market every Sunday in the city’s Shastri Park to provide a platform for farmers practising organic and natural farming and also to provide pure, indigenous, organic fruits and vegetables to the public.
Guna Collector Kishore Kumar Kanyal inaugurated the program.
Farmers showcased their organic produce here and reported higher earnings as well as increased demand for chemical-free fruits and vegetables.
Farmers from Bamori, Raghogarh, Guna, and surrounding areas of Guna district, including Thai guava, spinach, bhatti, bottle gourd, lemon, chili, tomato, wheat, moong dal, gram, organic fertilizers, and other crops, fruits, and vegetables, arrived at the organic market, set up stalls, supported the market, and made a large purchase of organic fruits and vegetables.
Farmers engaged in organic and natural farming said that their income has increased through organic farming with the use of technology. They said that it is the dream of the Prime Minister to double the income of the farmers, and this model is helping them realise this dream, besides augmenting the production of pure and fresh fruits and vegetables.
A farmer, Nathu Ram Lodha, said, "Through agricultural knowledge and guidance, we have started cultivation on one and a half acres of land. From a single plot, we are now regularly producing at least 10 kilograms per unit, and production continues steadily."
Another farmer, Udayam Singh Lodha, told IANS, "Through interaction with the Horticulture Department and the Atma Project’s Agriculture Division, we were advised that the way we are currently farming could be improved by adopting natural farming methods."
Mohan Singh, a villager, said, "In our farm, we grow wheat, mung beans, sugarcane, tomatoes, and peas. We have been practising this cultivation for 10–12 years, and it is quite profitable. For example, wheat that used to sell at a lower price now sells at ₹6,000 per quintal, mung beans at ₹12,000 per quintal, and sugarcane at ₹10,000 per quintal. This brings good production and profit for farmers."
Deputy Director, Horticulture Department, KPS Kirar told IANS, "It is the vision of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi to increase farmers’ income—doubling or even quadrupling it—and to ensure that people have access to nutritious food. To support this, the district administration, under the guidance of the Collector, has organised a weekly organic market."
--IANS
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