Haryana State Cooperative Supply and Marketing Federation Ltd (Hafed) has entered into a mutual rate agreement with United Breweries and SKOL Breweries for barley contract farming in the state for the rabi season 2008-09.

Considering the interests of the farmers, Haryana chief minister, Bhupinder Singh Hooda is vigorously pursuing the companies to increase the rate of contract farming of different varieties for barley crop. With his intervention, the companies agreed to pay enhanced rate to the farmers entering into contract with them for seperate barley varieties.

The United Breweries, which has entered into the rate agreement for the first time with Hafed, had assured a buyback price of Rs 1,000 per quintal to the contracting farmers of targeted 10,000 acre for the produce of barley VJM 315 variety that conforms to the pre-specified quality standards. SKOL Breweries has also extended its agreement with Hafed for rabi 2008-09 for contract farming of PL 426 and BH 393 varieties of barley with a buyback of Rs 900 per quintal targeted for an area of 6,000 acre.

The programme will be implemented in Gurgaon, Rewari, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa districts. Skol Breweries is one of the leading breweries and owner of ?Haywards? brand, which initiated six-row barley contract farming through Hafed during rabi 2007-08

VJM 3125, an in-house research variety of barley of United Breweries is a preferred malt barley variety and has a good yield potential. It is being sown in Punjab since 2002, and is now approved for sowing in Haryana under contract farming during rabi season 2008-09.Hafed, owing to its strength will not only provide farmers linkage to United Breweries, but also have an instrumental role in ensuring fair implementation of the programme in the interest of Haryana farmers. Among other benefits to the farmers include availability of good quality seeds and professional advisory services for better technical support.

Hafed initiated a holistic approach for promotion of organic farming in Haryana about one year ago with an objective of ecological uplifting of farmers through sustainable organic farming. Farmers in Kurukshetra, Karnal and Kaithal districts are being encouraged to switch over to organic farming for their long-term benefits.

Marketing tie-ups for the output of organic produce are being explored with an aim of providing maximum benefit to the farmers.

Hafed is incurring expenditure on farmer services, certification procedures, consultancy, etc. It has provided free of cost demonstrations for 50 acre to demonstrate organic farming practices and inputs with a fund outlay of Rs. 3.80 lakh. Earthworms costing Rs 2.25 lakh have been given free of cost to 500 farmers to enable them to start making vermi compost on their fields.

It is noteworthy that organic farming and demand of organic certified consumer products have been rising appreciable in most of the countries and progressive farmers were taking advantage of the same.

But many small and marginal farmers, though willing to adopt organic farming are held back due to lack of technological awareness, high cost of certification and unavailability of ready market.

This effort by Hafed will not only enlighten the farmers in the most appropriate manner, but also prevent them from using substandard inputs.