Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a conference on ‘Natural Farming’ on 16 December, in which state governments are also going to participate. The conference assumes significance in the backdrop of a substantial increase in subsidies in 2020-21 following record chemical fertilizer consumption and rising global prices.
“The Prime Minister will attend and address the conference on ‘Natural Farming’ at 11 am on December 16. Union Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agarwal tweeted and requested to join the program by watching live on Doordarshan or nearby Kisan (Agriculture) Vigyan Kendra.
So far 43.38 lakh farmers have adopted organic/natural farming in 38.09 lakh hectare (LH) area. The Center has set a target of raising an additional 7.35 lakh areas under various schemes between 2022-23 and 2025-26.
Inaugurating the Saryu Nahar National Project in Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh on December 11, Modi had invited farmers to participate in a “mega event” on natural farming.
“Our Padma awardee Subhashji, who hails from Maharashtra, has developed an idea of zero budget farming. This is a natural farming project, due to which our mother earth and water are also saved and the crop is also good and the yield is better in quantity. I urge all my farmer friends across the country to attend this program on 16th December through TV or Krishi Vigyan Kendra. I am sure you will come to know a lot of things which you can implement in your fields and which will be very beneficial for you,” Modi said.
Industry data shows that last year, the country had record sales of fertilizer – 67 million tonnes (MT) – as well as an all-time high import of around 21-22 million tonnes. The country’s foodgrain production also rose to a record 308.65 million tonnes and horticulture production at 331.05 million tonnes during the 2020-21 crop year (July-June).
With global prices touching an all-time high due to rising demand for crop nutrients in several countries, including India, the Centre’s fertilizer subsidy could reach Rs 1.5 lakh crore in FY12, up 89 per cent from budget estimates. is more.
Clearing all previous dues, the government had provided ₹1.34 lakh crore as fertilizer subsidy in the Revised Estimates of FY2011, of which the actual subsidy (excluding arrears) was around ₹85,000-90,000 crore. The Finance Minister had allocated Rs 79,529.68 crore in BE for FY22. But the cabinet has already approved an additional subsidy of Rs 43,430 in two phases in addition to BE.
The center is promoting organic/natural farming through Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and Mission Organic Value Chain Development (MOVCDNER) in the North Eastern Region. For three consecutive years, farmers get a total of ₹31,000/ha under PKVY and ₹32,500/ha under MOVCDNER to meet input costs like seeds, bio-fertilizers, bio-pesticides, organic manure and manure/vermi-compost. Is.
The Indian Natural Farming System (BPKP), a sub-scheme of PKVY and launched last year, promotes traditional indigenous practices including the manufacture of cow dung-urine and plant-based preparations. Under BPKP, farmers get ₹12,200/ha for 3 years for cluster formation and capacity building.
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