14 November2022, New Delhi: A 3-day mega agricultural fair, exhibition and training program, organized by Mr. Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, at Morena, Madhya Pradesh concluded yesterday.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Union Agriculture Minister mentioned, “Saffron is cultivated in Srinagar (Kashmir), the farmers there earlier used to sell saffron at Rs 1 lakh per kilo, where the Central Government developed a saffron park and increased the facilities, so now saffron sells at Rs 2 lakh per kg. “
The Union Minister said that today there is a need to reduce the cost of farming and increase the income of the farmers. The quality of products should also be of high quality. Water should be used less in agriculture, more should go towards micro-irrigation. There should be less use of urea, and DAP in agriculture, while the use of biofertilizer and nano urea should be increased. Organic and natural farming should be promoted. Natural farming will also increase the usefulness of cows.
If we make fertilizer from cow dung and urine, then money will be saved and the production will be good for health. Mr. Tomar said that there are 86 percent of small farmers in the country, for whose upliftment the government has planned to set up 10,000 new FPOs and with an investment of Rs 6,865 crore, work is being done expeditiously in this direction. To meet the shortage of oilseeds and reduce import dependence, the government has adopted the Oil Palm Mission, on which Rs.11,000 crores is being spent.
Exhorting the farmers of the region, Mr. Tomar said that today the farmers need knowledge, not water. Welcoming farmers from all over the country, he said farmers of the Chambal region will benefit from their knowledge as well as expertise. If farmers use technology, then the new generation will also draw its benefit and employment opportunities will also be created in the villages.
On the last day of the fair, farmers were trained on subjects like natural farming, crop diversification, and soil testing, dairy entrepreneurship, organic fertilizers, mushroom production, fish production, goat rearing, animal nutrients, water conservation, millet production, and processing and floriculture. On this occasion, newly constructed seed buildings of KVK were also inaugurated. Many public representatives and office bearers of the region were also present in the program.
