Major Push to Make Farming More Economical and Profitable in Haryana

*

*Agriculture Minister Directs Officers  to Prepare Region-Specific Crop Calendar and Jeevamrit Pilot Project*

Chandigarh, September 2 – In a major initiative aimed at reducing the cost of cultivation, enhancing farmers’ income and promoting environment-friendly agricultural practices, the Haryana Government is preparing to take significant policy measures to make farming more economical and profitable in the State.

Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister,  Sh. Shyam Singh Rana, while chairing a high-level review meeting on ‘Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses’ at his office in Chandigarh on Wednesday, directed officers to prepare a special region-specific crop calendar, taking into account the varying climatic conditions across the State. The calendar will provide farmers with appropriate guidance on crop planning and cultivation practices, enabling them to reduce input costs and maximise returns.

Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Sh. Vijayendra Kumar,  Director General, Sh. Rajnarayan Kaushik, Additional Director, Sh. Ram Pratap Sihag, Dr. Devender Sihag and other senior officers attended the meeting.

The Agriculture Minister directed officers to encourage farmers to cultivate crops that require minimum use of fertilisers and water. He particularly emphasised identifying superior varieties of crops, including paddy and pulses, with export potential in overseas markets. This, he said, would not only help farmers secure better prices for their produce and enhance their income, but increased exports would also contribute positively to the country’s GDP.

Reviewing the availability of quality seeds for the upcoming season, Sh. Shyam Singh Rana said seed quality plays a crucial role in achieving better crop yields. He, therefore, directed officers to encourage farmers to purchase only certified seeds of improved varieties.

*Jeevamrit Pilot Project to Promote Natural Farming*

To promote natural farming at the grassroots level and reduce dependence on chemical fertilisers, the Agriculture Minister proposed an initiative to explore the preparation of ‘Jeevamrit’ from cow dung and cow urine at gaushalas and its free distribution among farmers.

He directed officers to examine the feasibility of the initiative so that farmers could enhance agricultural production through natural farming practices. He also advised the department to formulate a dedicated pilot project for its implementation.

*Focus on Mechanisation to Reduce Labour and Cultivation Costs*

With a view to reducing labour requirements and cultivation costs, Sh. Shyam Singh Rana also emphasised the adoption of modern mechanisation for harvesting and threshing of cotton and pulse crops.

He directed officers to introduce scientific crop management practices covering the entire cultivation cycle, from sowing to harvesting, so as to bring down the cost of farming and make agriculture significantly more profitable for farmers.