Himachal to announce potato support price soon: CM Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu
Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday announced that the State Government is committed to bolstering the rural economy by establishing a potato processing plant in Una district at an estimated cost of Rs 20 crore. He added that a support price for potatoes would soon be declared to enhance farmers' income.Speaking at the state-level Multi-Stakeholder Consultative Conference organised by the Himachal Pradesh Revitalising Rainfed Agriculture Network, Sukhu said the government's focus on promoting green energy and natural farming.advertisementHe noted that minimum support prices for naturally farmed crops have been set and will be increased further. New schemes to strengthen the rural economy through natural farming are planned for the coming year.
Highlighting health concerns, Sukhu pointed out that Himachal Pradesh has seen a significant rise in cancer cases, second only to north-eastern states. He suggested that changing food habits might be a key factor and stressed the need to investigate the root causes.Sukhu noted that 80% of the state's population relies on agriculture, which contributes 14% to Himachal's GDP. He expressed concern over changing weather patterns adversely affecting the sector and proposed solutions like climate-resilient agriculture, promotion of pulses, extensive animal husbandry, use of traditional seeds and emphasis on water security and soil conservation.He highlighted that crops grown through natural farming and traditional seeds are nutrient-rich and require less water, advocating for their revival and improvement through research to ensure nutritious food and a cleaner environment for future generations.advertisementThe Chief Minister also released a book documenting experiences in natural farming and commended farmers adopting this practice. He detailed the government's efforts to promote sustainable agriculture.Padma Shri Nek Ram Sharma briefed the Chief Minister on the conference, emphasising the importance of millets, water conservation, forests and land management. MLA Harish Janartha, Padma Shri Hariman, agriculture expert Dr. Sabyasachi Das, senior Agriculture Department officials, stakeholders and representatives from the agricultural university attended the event.
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