Chandigarh, Jul 9 (FN Representative) Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister J P Dalal said on Friday that it is high time for the farmers to shift from traditional farming to modern farming techniques which is the need of the hour. For this, on the basis of their past experiences, they have to play an essential role in developing agricultural technology while promoting innovation in agriculture and allied sectors, said Mr Dalal, he was speaking at a virtual workshop on horticulture conducted at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University today. He said that out of the total area under horticulture in the state, about 80 percent area is covered under cultivation of vegetables.
The Minister said that by generating more awareness among farmers, eventually they would make a shift towards cultivating crops that consume less water and this will also enhance their annual profits. These days, water scarcity in farming is a huge concern and ground water level is also decreasing day by day. Considering all these factors, farmers these days are moving towards growing crops which are consuming less water. He directed the officers and scientists of the university present during the workshop that more vegetables should be grown in the area around Delhi NCR so as to increase the income of farmers.
For which awareness regarding new farming techniques should be increased. He said that farmers should also be encouraged towards organic farming resulting in enhancing land fertility and decreasing dependency on chemical fertilizers, which helps in the reduction of cost and increase in crop production. Due to increase in demand for organic products in the market, the income of the farmers will rise. He added that the Horticulture Department of the State is performing better than the other states. He said that the scientists of the Agricultural University should review the ground situation and redress the farmers issues.