Date:22/11/2006 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/11/22/stories/2006112201260200.htm

Back Call to encourage organic farming in a big way

Our Bureau

`Growing demand for organic products worldwide'

Focus on organic farming has gone up in the country; the sector is growing at the rate of 25 to 30 pc annually.

Kochi , Nov. 21

A two-day national seminar on organic agriculture commenced here on Monday with a call to practice organic farming in a big way, considering the growing potential for organic products worldwide.

Inaugurating the seminar, Mr G. Sudhakaran, State Minister for Co-operation, called upon the Reserve Bank of India to extent loans to farmers with low interest rates as per the recommendations of the M.S. Swaminathan Commission. The Minister said the State Government was ready to provide agriculture loans at 4 per cent interest rates to farmers if the Centre was willing to waive the Nabard subsidy.

Traditional farming

The Minister stressed the need to bring back the traditional farming culture, which was practiced in the country for centuries. A new farming culture in line with the modern times is the need of the hour, he stated. The authorities should also consider making agriculture as a curriculum in schools and colleges as it is the backbone of the Indian economy, he added.

According to the Minister, the agricultural land in Kerala has been reduced to 3.5 lakh hectares from 12 lakh hectares following conversion of paddy fields for various other purposes. Considering this, the authorities should implement steps to make organic farming a success with joint co-operation of the people.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr H. R. Khan, Principal of College of Agricultural Banking, Pune, said there was a need to focus on vast domestic market for organic products, as 70 per cent of the organic produce from India is being exported. However, the recent entry of big corporates in retailing the organic products is an encouraging trend and the banks should also have a major role in promoting organic products.

Mainstream

Organic agriculture, he said, is getting into the main stream in a big way worldwide. There is more focus on organic cultivation now in the country and the sector is growing at the rate of 25 to 30 per cent annually.

The two-day seminar organised in association with the Ernakulam, Palakkad and Idukki District Co-operative Banks is to highlight the key role of the banks in promoting and popularising organic agriculture, particularly among small and medium farmers.