HP to launch ‘Himbhog’ maize flour produced through natural farming
Shimla: With more than 4,000 quintals of maize procured from the Himachal Pradesh farmers who had switched over to natural farming in the state, the state government proposes to introduce a brand – Himbhog to market maize flour.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said maize is one of the key crops being cultivated in the state as climatic conditions and soil health perfectly suits the crop.
He said that more than 4,000 quintals of maize have been procured from 1,506 farmer families practicing natural farming across the state, with the exception of the Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur districts.
The highest procurement was done from Solan district (1,140 quintals) followed by Chamba (810 quintals) and Mandi (650 quintals).
Himachal Pradesh was the first state in India to offer the highest Minimum Support Price (MSP) for wheat and maize. The government was providing Rs. 40 per kilogram for wheat and Rs. 30 per kilogram for maize produced through natural farming.
The government was currently promoting natural farming across 35,000 hectares of land which was benefiting 1.98 lakh farmers of the state.
Free certification has been provided to over 1.5 lakh farmers and an additional 36,000 farmers were connected with natural farming.
The Chief Minister said that the state government has strengthened the infrastructure at 10 mandis to facilitate the marketing of natural farming produce so that people do not have to face any inconvenience while selling their produce.
He said that the government was also focusing on linking agriculture with employment through phase three of Rajiv Gandhi Startup Yojana, which started with a budget of Rs. 680 crore.
Emphasising the importance of agriculture and horticulture in the state’s economy, the Chief Minister said that about 90 per cent of the population of the state resides in villages. To strengthen the rural economy the government was introducing several initiatives including direct monetary support to farmers.
He said that the government was also purchasing cow milk at Rs. 45 per litre and buffalo milk at Rs. 55 per litre, along with increasing the daily MNREGA wage by Rs. 60 to a historic Rs. 300.
All these measures aim to improve the economic well-being of farmers and ensure farming becomes a sustainable source of income.
Traditionally, maize cultivation was practiced with chemical fertilizers and pesticides in many states including Himachal Pradesh.
However, in recent years, there has been a growing shift towards natural farming techniques, especially under the state government’s Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojana (PK3Y) scheme.
This shift is driven by the benefits of sustainable and cost-effective farming methods, such as the System of Natural Farming (SPNF), which avoids synthetic chemicals, reduces input costs, and enhances soil health.
