Ujjain: Experts shed light on ways to develop agriculture as an industry

Ujjain: A one-day seminar to develop agriculture as an industry was organised by the regional co-operative education project of the Indian National Cooperative Association at a local hotel on Monday.

Deputy-commissioner, cooperatives, OP Gupta in his capacity as chief guest said agricultural land was currently decreasing with each day and due to population growth, the division of agricultural land was on the rise. This in turn was increasing the number of small and marginal farmers.

Today there is a demand for collective farming which could reduce agricultural cost for farmers helping them to avail seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and agricultural guidance as well as systematic marketing through co-operatives, he added.

Presiding over the programme, senior agriculture development officer and in-charge of the soil testing laboratory, RK Dubey stated that to get a good crop, first a soil test should be done by selecting soil and crops accordingly.

After rabi crops, one should not burn the agriculture remains of fields because it would hit the eco-system and also lead to pollution. Excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in farms transforms them into a waste land, he added.

In-charge of the mobile unit of the veterinary hospital Dr GG Goswami said farming was meant to be a business of livelihood. “Animal husbandry is necessary as it will help you to earn the cost of running your house, and enable your farm to be fertile. Choosing the right breed for animal husbandry is very important. Indian breeds of cows and buffalos should only be selected”, he pointed out.

Assistant chemicals and fertilizer laboratory officer Naveen Kumar Gupta said fertilizers are being consumed in excessive quantities in the fields, causing many types of viruses and insects. Pesticides were also becoming ineffective for control. Exquisite fertilizers should be used in accordance with the appropriate quantity and scientific advice for specific crops, he said

Senior horticulture development officer Subhash Shrivastava said to increase income farmers would also have to adopt horticultural crops along with conventional farming. Only then the status of agro-industry could be achieved. He said taking fresh cow dung in the mornings and putting it in the gas plants results in a residual and the end product is compost manure.

He added that a ‘bigha’ of land should be divided into four parts and mixed cultivation like potatoes, peas, papaya, radish, coriander, spinach and green chilies should be sown. Ujjain Agricultural Services Co-operative Society president Shriram Sankhal also expressed his thoughts in the programme.

Earlier, guests garlanded the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi. Chandrasekhar Bairagi delivered the welcome speech. Prem Singh Jhala conducted the proceedings while Jagdish Narayan Singh proposed a vote of thanks.