By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 12 Jan: State Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ganesh Joshi inaugurated the one-day International Conclave cum Buyer Seller Workshop organised by APEDA at a private hotel in Dehradun on Friday with the aim of increasing the export of Uttarakhand products.
Joshi welcomed the people arriving from India and abroad by presenting them with shawls and mountain caps. Importers and buyers and sellers from India and abroad, farmers of the state, FPOs and departmental officers were present at the workshop.
On this occasion, Joshi also flagged off Uttarakhand’s first export vehicle of organic products, fruits and vegetables to the Kingdom of Bahrain.
In his address, Joshi said that the geographical conditions and agricultural climate of Uttarakhand state are highly favourable for the production of various horticultural crops (fruits, vegetables, spices, flowers, mushrooms, etc.). He said that, in the last 5 years, the state has touched new heights in the field of organic farming, where before 2017, organic farming was done only in 1 or 2 percent of the total agricultural area of the state. Now organic farming is being done in 38 percent of the area. He said that the state government has resolved that organic farming will be 50 percent by the year 2025. He said that, currently, 10 development blocks of the state have been declared completely organic. By next year, another 10 new development blocks will also be declared organic. The effort will be to convert all the 11 hill districts of the state into completely organic districts.
He said that the Organic Products Council is working to assist in the marketing of the state’s products. Organic products are being marketed by inviting buyers through fairs and exhibitions. In this context, to encourage local marketing of organic products, organic outlets are being opened, which will be located in every town, main market of the city, Yatra route, Char Dham route. Farmer groups will have sell directly to the consumers and the benefits received by the middlemen will now directly go to the farmers. The Organic Agriculture Act has been implemented to promote organic products in the state. He said that 15 local agricultural products of the state have received GI tags. These include Rajma of Munsiyari, red paddy of Purola, Gahat, Tor dal, Amaranth, yellow chilli etc. To encourage such GI products and make more efforts in this field, a separate GI Board is being formed in the state.
The Agriculture Minister added that, since the establishment of the state of Uttarakhand, many steps are being taken to develop it as an organic state to increase the income of farmers. Quality local products are being recognised in the national and international markets. He said that the state’s products like Basmati, red chilli, medicinal and aromatic plants, Amaranth, soybean, Mandua, Jhangora, red rice, etc., have found a special place in the diet of the people, due to which the demand is increasing by the day. He said that 5000 apple orchards will be planted in the next 8 years on 60 percent subsidy to farmers. A total of Rs 808.79 crore will be spent, due to which about 45,000 to 50,000 jobs will be created. At present, about 43328 metric tons of apples are being produced. He said that along with organic farming in the state, the Prime Minister’s ambitious plan of natural farming will also be implemented on a large scale in the state. The action plan for natural farming on 6400 hectare area has been approved in the first phase from this year itself. He congratulated the organisers of the programme and wished it all success.
The Agriculture Minister also visited various stalls set up at the workshop. Agriculture Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman, Chairman, APEDA, Abhishek Dev, MD of Uttarakhand Organic Products Council, Vinay Kumar, Agriculture Director KC Pathak, Horticulture Director Deepti Singh along with departmental officers and progressive farmers were also present.
