The Haryana government has decided to bring 5,000 acre under organic farming in the state.

With organic products like organic desi wheat and mustard oil gaining popularity, the Haryana State Cooperative Supply and Marketing Federation Limited (Hafed) has taken up organic farming.

The Hafed consumer products include basmati rice, non-basmati rice, kachchi ghani mustard oil, refined soyabean oil, refined cottonseed oil, branded sugar, desi wheat, organic wheat and desi wheat atta, which have taken the markets in north by storm.

Haryana had also initiated a unique scheme under which the consumers could book ?desi wheat? at the time of sowing by paying a nominal booking amount. The consumers can even visit the agriculture farms to observe the growth of organic crops at various stages.

Organic farming aims to use natural manure instead of synthetic fertilisers that enhance productivity for a short measure. According to experts, Punjab and Haryana, the pioneers of ?Green Revolution? lost land fertility when valuable soil nutrients were destroyed due to excessive use of fertilisers and pesticides.

The organic farming project of Haryana would cover 1,000 farmers in the initial stage who would be provided best technological inputs including training and farm-level advisory services as per standards of organic farming according to the agriculture minister, Haryana, Harmohinder Singh Chatha.

Chatha said the farmers would receive the benefits of professional and fair linkage, easy market access and environmental benefits with ? commitment to go organic? as the only investment on farmer front out of this approach.

Organic certification as per international standards would be done to facilitate domestic and export market for output. Hafed had tied up with Morarka Foundation, a non government organisation, having nation-wide presence and huge experience on state-level organic farming projects to provide farmer services.

All expenditure on farmer services, certification procedure and consultancy was incurred by Hafed and a weekly radio program on various aspects of organic farming had also been aired for the benefit of farmers. Organic farming and demand of organic certified consumer products had been rising appreciably in majority of countries and progressive farmers were taking advantage of the same, Chatha added.

The new concept aims to help many small and marginal farmers who failed to adopt organic farming due to lack of technological awareness, high cost of certification and unavailability of ready market. The concept will not only save farmers from substandard inputs but will ensure genuine organic products for consumers at competitive prices.

Organic thinking

• The Haryana State Cooperative Supply and Marketing Federation Limited has taken up organic farming

• Haryana had also initiated a unique scheme under which the consumers could book desi wheat at the time of sowing by paying a nominal booking amount

• The organic farming project of Haryana would cover 1,000 farmers in the initial stage who would be provided best technological inputs including training and farm-level advisory services