Two state depts opt for organic farming with an eye on policy

With an eye to frame an organic farming policy soon, two departments of the state government have begun organic farming. Following the current trends of agricultural economy and market management, the state Agriculture department and the Food Processing Industries and Horticulture have already started organic farming in rural farm houses across the state.

Food Processing Industries and Horticulture department has asked the rural agricultural farms to begin organic farming and assured them of technical assistance in promotion and marketing as well.

"The urban residents like to buy organic vegetables as this has become a new trend. The department is also capable of producing organic vegetables as per the market demands. Recently, I have instructed the rural firms to produce organic vegetables and assured them of all technical help," said Abdur Rezzak Mollah, Food Processing Industries and Horticulture minister, while talking to Millennium Post.

"I have 18 to 19 farms under the Food Processing Industries and Horticulture where organic farming would soon take place. We have tried to convince the farmers about this new trend and fortunately they have taken our ideas," the minister said.

"But I would like to say that it is not mandatory for the farmers to carry out organic farming and they will only do it if they wish to do so," the minister added.

The Agriculture department also took a target to prepare 32 organic villages across Bengal — especially in North and South 24 Parganas, Howrah and Hooghly. The department may coordinate with private agencies and co-operatives to foster organic farming in the state.

The Agriculture department set up 120 new clusters, each of which possesses 50 acres, where organic farming is taking place. Around 194 farmhouses of the state Agriculture department is farming organic vegetables separately in different locations. But this is simply not the end of it as organic farming is taking place under 'Swanirbhar Krishi Prakalpa' in collaboration with private agencies. "We have started our own farming as well as collaborating with private agencies. The draft of the organic policy would be framed only after reviewing these works," state Agriculture minister Purnendu Basu added.

Food processing Industries and Horticulture department will supply "green houses" and "pack houses" along with different other organic fertilizers. "We will also provide cars to ferry those farm products to the markets," Mollah said.

Mechanisms of these agricultural firms are simple. "The farmers hold shares in the business as per the measurement of his land. The shares will be distributed on the basis of his land size. Every firm has a manager who looks after all the activities," Molla added.

Organic farming is a method of crop production that involves much more than choosing not to use pesticides and fertilizers.

Consumers across the nation are consciously opting for healthy eating habits which are driving entrepreneurship in organic foods.