Farmers reap organic benefit

Punjab farmers diversify into organic farming of fodder

Farmers in Amritsar and Hoshiarpur who were cultivating wheat, paddy, aromatic herbs, and vegetables using organic methods have diversified into organic fodder farming.

According to sources, 30-35 acres of land in the Amritsar and Hoshiarpur districts is under organic farming for fodder.

More than 1,000 acres in Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Kapurthala are under organic farming in which vegetables, aromatic plants, wheat and paddy are grown. Although it is still in an early stage, experts say gradually it would pick up.

Talking to Business Standard, Rajinder Singh, consultant for the Punjab Agri Export Corporation Ltd and the man behind motivating farmers to take up organic fodder farming, said: "Changing the mindset of farmers was difficult initially, but gradually, I succeeded. Now, farmers are cultivating fodder organically on 30-35 acres of land for their domestic use only."

"Harmful pesticides and chemicals are not phased out completely by organic farming. In the very first year of cultivation only 80 per cent of harmful residues are phased out. It takes at least three years to convert a plot of land from one of conventional to organic farming and after three years it is free from any pesticides and other chemical substances," he said.

Singh said 8-10 acres of land was in the third year of organic farming.

A farmer said, "In Western countries, even pets are fed organic food. The time has come for a second green revolution."

Commenting upon the benefits of cultivating fodder organically, Singh said, "Firstly, the water consumption is almost 50 per cent less than the conventional grown fodder. Secondly, it is free from any chemicals, so ultimately not harming the cattle. Thirdly, per acre yield is quite high as compared to conventional yield."

He added that ghee produced from the milk of cattle that are fed organic fodder sold at Rs 300 per Kg, almost double the cost of normal ghee. Organic fodder could be a good source of income for the farmers, he said.

"We are getting demand for ghee in quintals from south India. But we are able to produce only 8-10 Kg of ghee per month."

He said the corporation was planning to bring another 100 acres of land under organic fodder farming.