Agri Minister asks farmers to adopt technologies to increase income

New Delhi: Concerned over doubling the income of farmers, the government is giving a push to alternative methods of farm practices in the country. "On the front of foodgrains production, our farmers have done a commendable job, now we have to focus on increasing their income from farming," said Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh.

"Now farmers have to look beyond conventional patterns of farming by adopting technologies like crop rotation, integrated farming, organic farming, double/triple cropping system to increase their income," the minister said while addressing a gathering at the North-East Regional Agriculture Fair 2018, which was organised by ICAR Research Complex for North Eastern Hill (NEH) Region, Umiam, Meghalaya.

"The government has initiated different flagship programmes for the welfare of people living in rural areas, especially farming communities by improving the current farming systems and thereby doubling their income from agriculture and allied sectors," Singh said.

Highlighting the impact of adoption of new technologies, Singh said, "The productivity and farmers' income can be increased through the adoption of improved technologies. The superior quality horticultural crops such as orange, pineapple, flowers, etc. can be produced in the region, while the surplus produce can be marketed with the effective supply chain management."

Slamming Meghalaya government, the minister said, "The utility certificate of Rs 1.59 crore allocated in FY 2016-17 has not yet been sent to the Centre. The funds allocated by the Modi government in the last four years under oilseeds and oil palm mission wasn't utilised between 2014-15 and 2015-16. In FY 2016-17, only Rs 57 lakh has been spent."