The Haryana government is actively promoting natural farming. Haryana Agriculture Minister Shyam Singh Rana stated that the state has set a target of bringing 1 lakh acres under natural farming. Currently, around 10,000 acres are being cultivated naturally by farmers, and this area is steadily increasing.
To facilitate the procurement of crops produced through natural farming, the state government has established a mandi in Gurugram. A laboratory has also been set up in the mandi to test the quality of crops. Based on the quality assessment, a designated committee will determine the price and proceed with the purchase.
Shyam Singh Rana was addressing the 7th Fruit Festival Fair held at the Sub-Tropical Fruit Centre in Ladwa as the chief guest on Sunday. On the occasion, he honoured 10 progressive farmers in the horticulture sector with a cash prize of ₹5100, a trophy, and a certificate of appreciation. He also inspected various stalls at the fair and gathered information from experts about different mango varieties.
The minister informed that to increase farmers' income and bring changes in traditional farming practices, 17 such centers are planned across the state, of which 11 have already been completed. Soon, sub-centers for litchi in Ambala and strawberries in Yamunanagar will be established. He urged farmers to diversify beyond wheat and paddy, and adopt horticulture, fisheries, beekeeping, dairy, and other crops.
The Sub-Tropical Fruit Centre in Ladwa was established in 2016 under Indo-Israel technology. It began with 10,000 plants, and now produces one lakh saplings annually for farmers. The center is also conducting research on six fruit crops including mango, litchi, pear, peach, and sapota.
Rana emphasized that the state government continues to develop schemes for farmers. Once a scheme is implemented, any issues raised by farmers are addressed through necessary modifications to ensure their benefit. If farmers receive less than the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their crops in the market, the government compensates them under the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana and bears their losses.